


Brooklyn Antiques

by Allyments



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/M, Pre-Serum Steve Rogers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-04
Updated: 2020-10-08
Packaged: 2020-11-23 14:20:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 32
Words: 35,434
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20893490
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Allyments/pseuds/Allyments
Summary: Steve meets a surprising stranger...AND THEY WERE ROOMMATES





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was debating doing like different Works and putting them in a collection but I don't think that's very userfriendly. Also, who would want to read like Part 3 without reading everything before it which would just be confusing. 
> 
> So I'll use the Notes to announce the different parts. 
> 
> This is the Start of Part 1 of this story called : Heart is an Awesome Power

**Heart is an Awesome Power**

It must have been the hundreds time he had been turned away by the army. He knew it was only a matter of time until Bucky was getting his orders and he was no step closer to the front lines than he had been the day before. His health issues always got in the way..his only hope was that they would get desperate enough to take any volunteer or that someone was going to take pity on him. It would be the first time he would welcome charity. 

Speaking of charitable moments, he saw the first drops of rain landing on the pavement, before they landed on his skin. With a sigh he popped up his collar. He already knew would be soaking wet before he reached home. If only he had brought an umbrella.

His head hanging down the sidewalk, when he heard a strange sound, something between a rush of wind and metallic echoing. As he turned toward the noise he saw a tall woman standing in the middle of the street with a puzzled look, who was about to be run over by a car. 

For a moment, time seemed to stand still and his body moved before he could order it to do anything else. Steve was by no means an athlete, something his many ailments, including his asthma prevented him from. But he practically flew at the redhead and grabbed her arm, pulling her towards him and away from the car. Then time sped up and tried to make up for the lost seconds as he lost his balance and fell, taking the stranger down with him. 

The young woman was slender but still heavier than him so her falling on top of him pushed the air out of his lungs. The rain had already transformed into a pour so it almost felt like he was drowning before he could sit up on his elbow and turned away, coughing and gasping for air. 

The stranger rolled to the side as not to hurt him any further. Her long red hair that had previously been styled in fashionable curls were now wavey and clinging to her skin, same as her clothes. She looked surprised, as if she had just woken up from a dream. “ By the Allfa- eh - I-I'm SO sorry! Are you alright?!” her distressed tone mixed with a strange accent that he couldn't place. She didn't sound like a foreigner but he had never heard anyone speak like her before. 

While he had been a hero for all of two seconds, she was now taking care of him and helping him up.

Honestly he had always hoped to commit a heroic deed but in his mind he had always pictured it very differently and certainly not in a way that made him feel like he was the one being rescued. “ Yes.. Yes I'm fine.” he stammered as he tried to calm his breathing.

“ Good. I'm so sorry, I didn't look. I'm not used to… Cars.” it seemed like she had to remember the word ‘cars’ but if it was because of the shock she must have suffered earlier or because she was thinking in another language remained unclear. “ And you saved me. Thank you.”

When he finally looked up and saw her he felt his blood rushing to his cheeks. He had always envied Bucky, his best friend, for making it look effortless when he talked to a woman. He himself was usually caught between a panic attack or the clear disappointed of the ‘friend’ Buckys date usually brought along for propriety . Either his date was so uninterested in him that he started to question his actual existence, or he was starstruck and way too busy to keep his anxiety inside to really interact with anyone. 

“ I'm Evangelyne. Evangelyne Ma- Hawke. Evangelyne Hawke. I must have hit my head.” she introduced herself with a small laugh to cover up either an honest case of confusion or a very bad lie. But Steve didn't notice either way.

The young woman had about 10 inches on him, maybe less because she wore heels. Her red hair rained down to her elbows and even though it was wet Steve knew it would be silky to the touch. Her skin was fair, a little bit like he envisioned british royalty to look like and her eyes were pale grey-blue. 

He must have reacted somehow, maybe nodded at her reflexively? But it took him too long to respond verbally to her introduction. For a moment he had almost forgotten his own name. “ Steve. I'm Steve. Steve Grant Rogers.”.. Steve GRANT Rogers? Who had died and made him president. What normal person introduced themselves with their middle name? Noone. That's who! 

“ Well I'm pleased to meet you Steve Grant Rogers.” she smiled at him and he wasn't sure if she was making fun of him or just teasing him, but her eyes were warm and friendly despite their cool colours so he decided to hope for the best. “ Steve is enough.” maybe he should just stop talking forever? 

“ Alright, Steve. I'm called Evy by my friends and those who save me from traffic.” she smiled again. That was the moment he realised he had been shaking her hand since she had introduced herself. It was beyond awkward now and he didn't know how to get out of it without looking stupid but he couldn't shake her hand forever. What to do? 

“ Do you live nearby? I can walk you there. “ he said and carefully disengaged his hand from hers. It was a polite question, one he still felt wrong about but it seemed courteous to offer her some protection. Even Though a squirrel was probably more able to protect her than him.

“ Actually… No. I live far away. I came here to visit the city.” - “ Oh, then maybe to your hotel?” she was probably trying to let him down easy. She probably just didn't want to take him along. 

“ No. I am positively homeless at the moment. And wet to the bone. This is a right mess.” she declared and brushed a few strands behind her ear. 

“ Oh I'm sorry. If you want you can stay with me.” had he… Just offered his flat to a complete, if gorgeous, stranger? At this point it was more likely that this was a ploy to rob him. 

Evy looked at him and tilted her head as if she was calculating something in her mind. He wasn't a physical thread and seemed chivalrous enough for her to trust his invitation to be genuine. “ I don't want to impose.” she said honestly. “ Oh you wouldn't, I promise. If you stay in this rain you'll catch your death.” Once again Steve wondered if he was trying to get himself robbed but it might be worth it anyway.

“ Are you sure?” she asked and took a quick look around as if she was expecting to find a dry room within her sights she could use instead. 

“Yes.” he confirmed and smiled at her a little. Which he regretted immediately because he was sure he looked dumb. “ Well.. Sure. Why not. It is a very generous offer.” Evy smiled and waited for him to show her the way. 

It took another few moments for him to realise that her expectant look was because she expected him to lead her to his home, but once he remembered that he had legs he walked a few steps in the wrong direction before he eventually walked her to his home. 


	2. Chapter 2

Steve wasn't a neat freak but he liked things to be tidy, especially since he didn't have a lot of money so he had to take extra care of his things. So at least he could take his guest home without worrying about the state of his flat.

Usually it wouldn't have been proper for him to invite a woman to come with him, especially when she was alone, but so far he hadn’t had a lot of luck with the ladies, especially ones that looked like Evy so his neighbours would probably think she was his cousin. And he didn’t plan to do anything untoward so either way her reputation was unlikely to suffer from this. Besides , with the weather being as it was people were more concerned with getting out of the rain than actively looking around.

Once inside his flat he got her a towel while she stood next to the exit, shaking lightly because of the cold. 

“If you want to, you can take a shower to warm up.” he said almost without thinking. It wasn’t until he had heard the words coming from his mouth that he basically asked her to get nacked. But she didn’t seem to take it that way.

“ Thank you. That would be lovely but I have nothing to change into.” she said and looked a bit embarrassed. “ Oh, of course.. Wait. I think I have something for you. It might not fit perfect, but it's dry.” he had given most of his mother's clothes away after her death, but he had held onto her church clothes. If there’d been a fire she’d have made sure to save them, so he hadn’t been able to part with them just yet. Still, this way he could put them to good use. 

He lead her to the closet and pulled out a long skirt, a blouse and a sweater. She was taller than his mother had been, but since the skirt was long anyway it wouldn’t look vulgar on her. For a second he paused as he held the fabric in his hands, and a small memory hit him, but he shook it off.

“ Are you sure I can borrow this?” she could tell that he treasured these clothes and she didn't want to take something from him he wasn’t truly ready to give. “ Yes. Clothes are meant to be worn.” he said what he knew his mother had said in this situation and gave them to her. He’d been close with his mother, she had raised him to be respectful and kind, so he still wanted to act in a way that would make her proud. Granted, bringing a single woman to be alone with him in their flat and asking her to strip wouldn’t meet her approval, but helping a stranger in need would.

Steve lead her into the bathroom and showed her how to use the faucet, then he went outside to give her privacy and to change into dry clothes himself. 

After he had dried himself he went to boil some water, he was still freezing and held his cold fingers over the pot to get some feeling back into them. 

It was a strange sensation to have another person here with him again. Of course Bucky would visit him occasionally, but he was more likely to invite him over to eat with his family than to come here. And if he came by it was often to bring leftovers by his own mother, who had somewhat adopted Steve.

Friendly charity. Something that made him feel smaller than he was and yet he wasn't in a position to refuse most of it. Maybe that was part of the strangeness of the situation. That he had more than someone else for once. That he had something to give even if it was just a friendly gesture.

After a short while he heard her turning the water off and a few minutes later she emerged dressed in the clothes he had given her. They fit her better than he would have thought, even though everything the sleeves of then blouse ending a few centimeters above her wrists.

“ Did you find everything?” he asked and poured her a cup of tea. “ Yes. Thank you. It really helped. Oh! Thanks. You're too kind!” she took the cup from him and sat it down on the table. “ Aren't you going to shower next?” she wondered and blew on her tea. 

“ No, I'm already warmed up.” he lied. It was easier to say that lie than to confess he couldn't afford to shower himself. Not that he usually condoned dishonesty but for once someone wasn’t looking at him with pity and he would like to keep it that way as long as possible. His living situation didn't make him seem like a rich person anyway so it wasn't like his little white lie was going to fool her into expecting him to be well off. 

“ Are you sure? You still look cold.” almost automatically she reached out and took his hands between hers to check if they were cold. A gesture he knew well and showed that she was used to caring for others.

The Touch revealed his lie but also shot through him like a bolt of lightning. He was seldom touched, except a hug from Bucky, his mother or the army doctor when he tried to enlist.“ You are freezing!” Automatically she started to rub his hands between hers and then breathed warm air onto them. 

“ Don't worry…. The tea will warm me up… “ he stuttered and tried not to blush. This seemed incredibly intimate though she must have done this a hundred times for someone else. 

According to the lack of rings in her hands she was neither married nor engaged to be, but that didn't mean she didn't have a sweetheart. And he probably shouldn’t be thinking about that anyways. She was way out of his league.

Evangelyne closed her eyes and took a deep breath, then it felt like his body was filled with warmth. When she opened her eyes she slowly let go of his hands but the warmth remained. “ I'm sure it will.” 

Then she took her cup and sat down at the small dinner table. She took a sip from her cup and watched him as he marveled at the warmth he was feeling. 

“ Oh, erm. I'm sorry you must be hungry. I… I think I have soup.” he said blushing and started to rummage in a cupboard in the hopes of finding a can of soup. 

Evy didn't answer him at first and just observed him until he finally found the can he had been looking for. “ You are being a gracious host but I can't impose on your resources like this. Maybe if you show me the way to a local market I can get ingredients and cook for you. It's the least I can do to repay your kindness. You saved me from being hit by that car and cared for me. Please let me do this for you.”

She could tell that the idea made him uncomfortable, especially since he didn't seem to have the means to refuse her offer. 

“ I.. Yes… We can do that.” he looked out of the window to see that the rain had slowed down a little. With an umbrella, they would be fine. 

“ I'll get you a coat.” it pained him to have her pay for food but there was no way that he had enough money to feed them both. 

So he got out a coat, handed it to her and they went back outside. 


	3. Chapter 3

About one and a half hours later they were back in his flat and sitting over a freshly cooked meal. In the end she had paid for the food, something he hadn’t wanted her to do, but on their way he had learned that she wasn't from America and that, where she was from, customs demanded that she **had** to repay him for his bravery. 

He wasn't entirely sure if she had told him the truth or had made up a story to make him feel better, but either way it had made it impossible for him to refuse her. 

And now that they were sitting over steaming plates, he gave up on his pride entirely and was just thankful to get a warm meal.

“ I hope you will like it. It's nothing special.” Evy claimed. “ A home cooked meal is always special.” Since his mother's passing his best friends mother was the only source of a cooked meal that didn’t come in a can. But Evangelyne was a much more compelling person to dine with. 

He took his first bite and moaned involuntarily. With a shocked expression he blushed and covered his mouth with his hand. “ I'm so sorry!” it seemed like he stumbled from one embarrassment to the next without catching a break. 

“ What are you sorry about? Liking my cooking or showing me you do?” she teased him but instead of making him feel worse about it, it reminded him of how Bucky would tease him and so he answered the same way he would’ve answered his friend. “ Both.” He grinned at her and she started to laugh. 

“ I thought I had finally gotten you to relax. You are ruining that by tensing up again.” 

Her teasing and joking really did put him at ease but every time he remembered he was alone with this gorgeous creature his anxiety spiked. It didn't help that this dinner was one candle away from an actual date. 

“ I'm sorry. I'll do my best to keep my anxiety internal.” that yielded him another laugh from her. The way she acted around him, the way she seemed to accept everything about him without judging him threw him off in the most delightful of ways. 

When she looked at him it was like she couldn't even see his flaws. His small stature, his lack of money and status, and an uncertain future. 

“Say… do you have anywhere to go? A place you can stay?” she had indicated earlier that she hadn't made arrangements yet and it was getting late. “ I know it isn’t appropriate, but if you want to, you could stay here for the night. Or how for how ever long you want. My mother's room is empty and has a bed.”

It was ridiculous. Why would someone like her want to stay in a place like this with him? There was no way she - “ I would love to. Thank you, you are very generous. But I insist on paying you for that and I will cook to balance out the inconvenience of having another person here.”

Had she just agreed? And offered more cooking?? This was too good to be true! Maybe Bucky had hired her to get his mind off the war? No, he wouldn't go that far. Either way he couldn’t understand why she would agree to this but he wasn't going to fight her on his offer either. 

It was scary but maybe for the first time in a long time he could dare to hope for happiness. “ You won’t be an inconvenience.”he finally replied and continued to eat the first of what hopefully would be many similar meals.


	4. Chapter 4

The next morning he woke up to the smell of breakfast. A magical smell that proved it hadn't been a dream. He had been up half the night, anxious about the situation. Hosting such an interesting person was something way out of the ordinary. And now she had even made him breakfast. 

Leaving his room, he found her sitting at the table with a book in one hand and a steaming cup in the other. She was so engrossed that she didn’t even notice him until he sat down.

“Oh! Good morning! I hope you slept well?” She asked and put her book down. She seemed so comfortable as if she had always been here and he had to admit that he liked that. It made him feel more comfortable too. “ Yes I did, and you?” He lied and took a bite off his plate. Once again it was delicious. “ I had a hard time falling asleep and I was a bit confused when I woke up but that’s to be expected.” She said with a smile and continued to eat her breakfast.

“ What are you reading?”-“ It’s a book I bought yesterday about Norse mythology.” It was something he wasn’t too familiar with but he was always willing to learn. “ Is it good.” -“ It is very creative. Loki turning into a horse and all. As if. Anyway, I will go out and get some new clothes. Do you need me to pick something up for you too?”

He even gave it a short thought before he declined, and so they ate their breakfast while he gave her directions to the stores she would want to go to.

This was the first of many mornings he would wake up to a freshly made breakfast. During the day she went out, same as him, and eventually found herself a job as a nurse. Apparently she had done this kind of work before and they did need medical professionals in times like these. 

It made them settle into a routine. It was almost as if they were married, the way they came ‘home’ to each other and talked.

Of course it was still difficult. An unmarried women and man living together was not appropriate, and he didn't want her to get in trouble, but he was not going to ask her to leave either. 

Her company was reward enough but after the week she did demand to pay him rent and she bought a lot of the groceries. Everything about money made him uncomfortable but she handled it with a lot of pragmatism which helped him through it. 

The more time they spent together the more he thought about her and he realised quickly that he was falling for her. Until now he had never tried to woo someone. At least not successfully or for long. It was especially difficult to court someone when you had no money and it seemed even stranger to court her since they were already living together. 

“ Do you want to go out tonight?” he asked her once both had arrived home. Bucky had invited then to go to a club since he wanted to meet Evy desperately. There was a good chance Bucky thought he had made her up and he couldn't blame him. He wouldn't even believe it himself if she weren't standing in front of him. 

“ Of course! Do you have anything specific in mind?” the redhead asked him as she handed him a cup of tea.” Bucky, my friend, invited us.. I mean you and me to a Club.” -” That sounds like a lot if fun! I have no shift until later tomorrow so staying up will not be a problem.”

She really had everything, was everything. Kind, smart, responsible, ambitious and beautiful inside and out. She had asked him how long she was allowed to stay with him since she didn't want to impose and he had reacted like an idiot and had told her she could stay forever if she wished. Stupid , very stupid but also true. And now on top of it all they had a sort of date with his friend. 

“ I really hope Bucky will be fond of me. Otherwise he might talk you into throwing me out. “ she joked and sat down at the table.” He will love you. And he would never do that” except he sort of had already. Steve liked to overlook the weirdness surrounding Evy but Bucky wasn't as convinced as he was that Evy was without agenda. 

The fact that he knew almost nothing about her, like where she was from, her family or anything else that wasn't in the present made Bucky feel wary. At the moment he was betting that she was either on the run from the law or running from an abusive husband. 

Neither would be good for Steve and Bucky didn't want him involved in whatever shady business she was in. 

“ In that case I can't wait to meet him.” she announced and while it wasn't completely true she tried her best to make it so. 


	5. Chapter 5

When Evy exited her room fully dolled up for the Club, Steve almost suffered an asthma attack. She wore a modern dress in a dark blue, that made her skin look like she was bathing in moonlight and the contrast to her red hair and lipstick made her shine. Of course she was always beautiful, but now she took his breath away and made him feel utterly underdressed since his clothes were old and worn even when he tried his best. 

Together they went to the Club where Bucky was waiting outside, without a date, since he was going to get to know his friends possible new girlfriend. Or the scam artist that would soon be Steves ‘former’ roommate if Bucky ideas about her were right.

When they appeared Bucky could hardly believe his eyes. Not only was that girl about a head taller than Steve, but also one of the most stunning woman he had ever seen and it wasn’t only her looks but her mere presence. This girl was used to being the center of attention and how to command it. There was no way she just stayed with Steve because she liked to cook for him. 

“ Hey, I'm Bucky. My boy here told me a lot about you.” he greeted her. 

“ Good evening. I am Evy, it is so nice to meet you. I heard a lot about you as well.” -” I'm sure he only told you the good stuff. “ Bucky winked at her and half turned to the entrance. 

“ Come on, let's get inside.” 

He went inside and they followed. Bucky had already decided what table he wanted to occupy. One far away from the bar so that he could send Steve for the drinks and he could get some alone time with the mystery lady. 

“ Here we go.” he held out a chair for Evy to sit on and bought them the first round of drinks as a sign if celebration. 

The way Steve looked at Evy made it clear to him, that his friend was already lost. There was no way he would be able to talk him away from her without sufficient proof. The thing he hadn't expected was that she looked to be genuinely smitten with him as well. She was less obvious about it, more guarded, but as far as he could tell it didn't seem like she was faking it. 

Then again she might just be an excellent actress.

Over the next few songs they talked and got to know each other, or rather he tried to get to know her. She expertly dodged most of his questions, giving half answers that were just enough so that he would come across as rude if he would try to get more out of her. That wouldn't do. So he finished his first glas and sent Steve to get the next round for them.

Of course his friend obeyed and as soon as he had his back turned, Bucky moved next to Evy. “ I know Steve is sweet and all, but you don't have to stay with him if all you need is room and board.” he said with a seductive smile. “ I can offer a room, a bed and protection, if you need it. You wouldn't even have to cook.” his words made her uncomfortable but she kept up her pokerface, even when he moved his hand onto her thigh. 

“ Bucky, that is a very sweet offer so I will return the favour and give you a choice. Either you remove your hand from my thigh or I will remove it. And I won't promise to give it back afterwards.” her voice was as sweet as honey and so was her smile but her eyes spelled murder. 

Carefully he removed his hand since he - for some reason - believed that she could probably take his hand off, but knew he needed to go further on this to feel satisfied.

“ I know it probably seems easy to be with Steve, but eventually you’ll get bored. Why not stay with a real man, hm? I can offer you a lot more than he can and he’ll understand.” The words were cruel, but he had to say them to see if she believed them deep down.

“ Let's make something VERY clear Mr. Barnes: I am not staying with Steve because I think him gullible or weak. He has a bright, creative mind, a brave heart and a true moral compass. I have noticed the strange looks from your people and I am aware that according to your culture I am supposed to favour someone closer to my physical representation instead of ‘settling’ with someone like Steve. When I look at him I don’t see what most people falsely assume him to be. I have known strong and tall men all my life, and while they have been good friends to me, I’d take someone with Steve’s wit over them in a heartbeat. I am tall enough to reach things on the high shelves, I can open jars on my own and I can fight my own fights. So whatever this sorry display was about, I expect an apology from you and that nothing like this will ever happen again. Or I will repeat your words to Steve and I would rather not be the cause of so much pain.”

He was speechless. Something he hardly ever was. Really, all he could do was stare at her like a fish out of water gasping for air. 

“ Now, please.” she added somewhat impatient with him. “Ah! I’m sorry! Ma’am! I..I just-” - “ Don't explain, don't make up excuses, I'm interested in neither. I accept your apology and won't tell Steve about this because I must trust that, as his best friend, this was some kind of strange game and not an actual try to get me to betray him.”

As soon as she had finished her sentence, Steve appeared with their drinks and she gave him a smile as if he were the sun to her moon. “ Thank you. You know, I really like this song. We should dance.” she stood up and pulled Steve onto the dancefloor, before he could successfully object. All he managed to get out was that she should dance with Bucky, probably because he figured he would make a fool of himself. 

“ Don't worry. I don't know how this dance works either.” she smiled at him and mimicked the way the other couples held each other. “ I know.. How it works… I can show you. “

Steve wasn't the best dancer but his mother had taught him. It had been a while since he had danced and he had never shown anyone but with her natural grace and his instructions they managed to do alright by the end of the song.

He was so focused on her that he didn't even think of anyone else or how they might judge them. He just enjoyed the time. 

After they returned Bucky had recovered and tried to start anew. He didn't fully trust her yet, but he decided to give her a chance. They even danced together once because Steve felt a bit tired but didn't want to leave yet. 

After that dance, however, Evy insisted on feeling very tired, so Steve had to take her home. Bucky gave them a warm goodbye and winked at Steve to show his approval… for now. And then the pair went home. 

“This was fun. I am glad we went. Bucky is just like you said. I can see why you are friends.” Steve was obviously like a little brother to Bucky and while Steve might object to the idea in general, it was obvious that his taller friend was looking out for him. So that was one thing they had in common. 

“ Yeah. I'm glad you guys get along.” Steve said but he sounded exhausted and that worried Evy. Had they overdone it? Well the smoke hadn't been good for him but there was little she could've done about that.

“ Are you alright?”- “ Hm? What? Oh, yeah. Just tired…” he claimed.” You know, when you two danced you seemed to have a lot of fun. I.. I just want you to know that.. If you would want to meet him again, without me, that'd be ok…. I mean not that you need my permission or anything just-” to interrupt him she held his shoulder, so that he would have to face her and bent down a little to touch her lips to his. 

Startled he didn't react at all, except for stiffening up and opening his eyes wide. 

“ I am not falling for Bucky. I like you.” her voice was firm and matter of fact, and so where her pale grey eyes. “ I know that I am too forward for the time we are in, but I am not from America and not bound to your traditions. Still, I would not want to rush things, we hardly know each other. But I want to get to know you, and grow closer. And I want to kiss you. I hope that is enough for you, for now. “

He blinked and looked at her in confusion as if she was speaking an entirely new language. This had been his first kiss and he had hardly participated and now she was saying she wanted to kiss him? Again? 

Not able to think clearly he leaned forward and gently pulled her towards to kiss her as a response. He wasn't sure if he was doing this right, but she wrapped her arms around him and held him close, all while returning the kiss. 

He couldn't feel the ground under his feet, really it felt more as if he was standing on a cloud and butterflies were taking flight inside his stomach. She smelled of poppies and moonlight and her skin and hair were so soft to his touch. If he would die right now, he would die a happy man. Feeling loved and wanted for the first time in his life. 

When the moment was over she pulled away from him, just enough to look at him. “ I take this as a yes.” she smiled. Oh her wonderful smile. Nothing had ever looked as beauty and right as she was looking right now, even though her makeup was slightly smudged and her hair a little bit out of place. Yes, she was a beautiful creature but most if her appeal came from inside. Her good heart was shining brightly, it was what had caught his eye. 

“ I think we should go home.” she reminded him and moved out of his embrace but took his hand in hers before she started to walk again. 

He couldn't form the words to tell her what he was feeling, the joy and bliss and the idea that they already lived together, that he wouldn't really have to miss her because he would see her in the morning. Of course it would be even better if he could fall asleep next to her but truthfully he wasn't ready for that. Yet.

Even if it was just sleeping innocently next to each other. 

Still, he knew deep in his heart that she was the person he was meant to be with. The missing puzzle piece to finish the picture and made everything make sense. His thoughts ran away with him and he imagined them getting married and starting a family. Yes, he would do his best to be the kind of man she deserved. It made him even more determined to enlist and make a difference. 


	6. Chapter 6

Evangelyne went to bed happy and hopeful about the future, but sometime after she fell asleep, there was something that made her stir. When she woke up, she felt like she might have a fever, but soon realised it wasn't her but someone else. 

As her eyes adjusted to the room she saw a Figure standing at the window and would have made a move to attack if she hadn't been so familiar with the silhouette. 

“ What on the names of all the gods are you doing here? In my room. Unannounced?” she asked the man and prompted him to turn around. 

“ I am here to ask you what you are doing. Have you gone mad? It is one thing to come here for a few days to experience humanity, but a whole other situation for you to fall in love with a human. And a sickly one at that. You know what this will do to you. “ his words were angry but came from a place of friendship and love. 

He had been her closest friends since their childhood and he was right to worry. 

“ I would be mad at you for knowing this, but I would watch over you just as much if the situation was reversed…” she said and coughed before a louder, more ratchet sound coming from the other room. 

“ Steve…” - “ You are already feeling his pain? Evy… “ her friend at down at the side of her bed and took her hand in his. “ Please return home with me. Before this takes its toll on you.” there was something in his eyes that even she hardly ever got to see: vulnerability. 

There was nothing romantic between them. It had never been that way and it would never be. Still they loved each other deeply as they had become each others family “ I.. I don't want to. Not now anyway. I'm enjoying my time here and Steve is… Unique. I know we won't have long together but the time we have I want to be by his side.” -” Evy… I can see he already means a lot to you. At least come home with him. Maybe Eir can… repair him. He will live longer and you will be with your people once he passes.” - “ It won't work this way. He is as deeply bound to this world as you are bound to our home. He would cease to be the person I like if I was to remove him from here… I know you miss me and I miss you. Maybe just come to visit? You can be my brother, then it won't be a problem. Besides we look more alike than you and your family do. “

He sighed and brushed back hair black hair. It was true, he missed her. They would usually talk every day and even though it had just been a short time he was feeling restless without his companion. And it was somewhat irritating that she didn't feel this way, or at least not as much as he did. 

“ Fine. I will be your brother then. Under protest. And you have to swear to leave at once if your life is in danger. It doesn't matter how much you come to care for him. If he makes you sick you have to leave” - “ I promise. If my life is in danger I will leave. And now go because I have to look after Steve. And I will see you tomorrow. “ 

The redhead scooted to the side of the bed and pressed a kiss on his cheek before she got up. “ Give your brother my love, and don't be too cruel Loki. Take care.” he just shook his head and let the magic go that held his image on this planet. “ Until tomorrow.”

His words echoed as she grabbed a robe and went to look after Steve. 


	7. Chapter 7

Evangelyne knocked politely before opening the door and stepped inside. Steve was coughing and she couldn't tell if he was awake or not. “ Steve?” she asked tentatively as she approached his bed.

When she arrived at his side she turned on the lamp from his bed stand and looked at him. Even for this standards he was pale. He was sweating heavily and clearly in pain. She didn't have to measure his temperature to see that he was running a fever. 

True to her abilities and her current job, she became methodical. While she wasn't as good a healer as Eir, she was good enough to help with a simple fever, though she was unsure if there was anything constituting ‘simple’ when it came to Steve's health.

First she got a bowl of cool water, vinegar and a few towels, the magic in her veins would help him heal but since she had none of the advantages she usually had in Asgard, she had to be careful and support her efforts through mundane means.

When she had everything she needed, she carefully opened his pyjama shirt and put her ear to his chest. The problem in his lungs would need to be addressed first. Most of the healing she did at home were simple cuts and bruises. It was very different to animate skin to knit itself back together than to heal the insides of someone - especially if she couldn’t touch them directly and when they were damaged to begin with.

She had to differentiate between his asthma and whatever infection he had caught and in top of that she was still tired from the past day and their date.

Slowly she started to weave her magic into his body, like a bandage that would give him the strength to heal but also protect him from the damage his sickness would do to him.

It was exhausting and it was more than once that she had to retrace her steps to make sure everything would work as it should. But when she was finally done she knew he would be able to heal. Then she told herself, she would just close her eyes for a minute and leaned forward to bury her face in her arms and rested half sitting on a chair half lying on his bed. 

That position was the one Steve found her hours later when he woke up. He was still feeling ill, but the cough had almost vanished completely. It felt like the first day free of a fever and not like the first day of being sick. 

Carefully and Gently he got out of bed and woke Evy up just enough to move her to her bed in her room. Then he took a shower, made himself some tea and went back to bed. He knew he felt better than he should if he was ill, but not good enough to be healthy. It was confusing but quickly forgotten when sleep claimed him once more. 

It was the middle of the afternoon when Evy woke up. She was thirsty, and starving and felt like she needed to sleep for another week. But she couldn't, so instead she got up, downed to glasses of water and started to cook. Luckily they had just been shopping for food, so she had enough to work with.

Midgard had some herbs that worked wonderfully on her kind, so she knew she would be drinking lots of tea and put them in any dish that would allow it. It wouldn’t help her as much as resting at home would but it would have to be enough.

With that in mind she started to make some soup. It would take some time until it was finished but at least they could eat it for a while and she could sit down while it was cooking. Once she had put all the vegetables into the pot, she took two cups with tea in them and went to Steve's door and knocked quietly, as not to wake him up if he was sleeping, and opened it a bit. 

Steve was awake and half lying, half sitting while reading. He looked tired but a lot better than yesterday. “ I have made some tea if you want a cup?” - “ Yes, please.” he smiled and put the book away. “ Thank you… I found you asleep on my bed. I hope it is ok that I brought you to your room?.”- “ Yes, I am sorry I fell asleep. I heard you coughing and the nurse in me took over.” She said with a wink.

“Well whatever you did worked wonders. I remember feeling awful and being in pain and then… I smelled poppies and it was like there was a light? And then I felt better. A strange fever dream I know.” - “ It probably wasn’t a dream, I did turn on you light.” She added with a wink but both knew that it hadn’t been his lamp that he had seen, but she wasn’t going to tell him about the magic either. At least not when he was under the weather anyway.

Eventually she would tell him. But not before she could be sure that he would take her claims seriously and also wouldn’t tell any authorities.

” Anyway, Thank y-“ Steve got interrupted by the doorbell. “ Hm? “ Evy wondered and got up. “ Are you expecting Bucky?” She asked Steve who shook his head, so she put her cup down on his nightstand and got up. Maybe she was being paranoid but people seldom came unannounced to your door for happy things.

“ I will go and check and you will stay here.” She said and went to the door.

Once she had opened it and saw the person in front of her, she remembered that her guest had not only announced himself but had been invited by her. Last night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The reason Evy smells like poppies is because I had.. a shampoo or showergel or whatever as a child that smelled like poppies and I really liked it and have yet to find something else soapy that smells like it.


	8. Chapter 8

Evangelyne opened the door and before her stood her close friend in dressed in era conforming clothes and she was surprised how well he could pull them off. “ You are looking smart.” She complimented him and he just winked at her when he took off his hat and moved past her. He gave her a once over and he wasn't impressed. This time around she couldn't really blame him. She hadn't brushed her hair or taken a shower or had done anything but eating since she had woken up exhausted. “ It’s not a good time.”

  
“ What have you done?” he asked her, ignoring her words with some annoyance in his tone. “ Why are you even up? You look like you haven’t slept in a fortnight.” he shook his head and felt like growling. In Asgard he’d have thrown her over his shoulder and had dragged her to her quarters but that wasn't currently and option.

  
“ Don’t reprimand me… he needed my help so I did what I could.” she heard how tired her voice sounded and sighed. It was clear her argument didn't help her situation in the least.  
“ Evy… keeping someone else warm doesn’t mean you should set yourself on fire. Please, return with me.. Come home. If only for a short time, it will heal you.” he said, knowing full well that she wouldn’t.  
  
“ Look who’s talking, as if you wouldn't do the same for someone you cared about..” she said with a pout but then reached over and hugged him to make up. He had always been like the big brother she had never had, and she in turn had been the sibling that noticed his existence that he never had. Some people had always predicted that they would end up getting married, but neither of them had romantic feelings for the other. Of course they loved each other, but in a platonic way, only like you loved your own family and wished them well. 

Steve was still sat in his bed and eavesdropped on the conversation. He knew it wasn’t polite but there was a stranger in his home, someone who seemed to want to take Evangelyne away from here. Maybe it would be better for her. What could he offer her really? But he hoped she would stay. It was probably selfish to want her to stay if it wasn’t in her best interest, but maybe.. Just maybe they could make each other very happy. Wasn’t that worth something?

“ If you care so much about him that you would hurt yourself to aid him I should probably meet your hum-friend?” he asked her and then held up a package. “ And before I forget. I brought you some tea from Eir. It should give you back some strength.” Evangelyne let go of him and nodded to his question before taking the package from him with a weak smile. “ Thank you. And yes. But let me ask Steve first if he wants to meet you. He is not well. As you know.” she explained and put the package down on the kitchen table. 

She walked to Steve's room and knocked on the open door. “ We are having a guest.” she said. “ He would like to meet you if that is alright?” she asked and Steve agreed only a moment before a tall and very handsome man with jetblack hair turned the corner and Steve immediately felt his stomach fall. 

“ Good day Steve. I am sorry for intruding on you. But my dear sister here has told me a lot about you and I couldn't help myself. I had to meet the man that keeps her from returning home.” The man in front of him clearly came from money, and that meant that Evangeylne came from money too which explained some things, but confused other aspects of her being here.  
  
“ You can call me Lucas.” he added and winked at Evangelyne. “ You are wrong Lucas. He does not keep me here. I am here because I like being here. Steve is just the cherry on top. And now he needs to rest. You have said hello and now it is time to leave.” she said and softly pushed Loki towards the exit and away from Steve. “ Please reconsider and come back with me.. Come home. “ he pleaded but she shook her head. “ No L-ucas. I’m fine here. I promise.” she said and hugged him goodbye before she gently but firmly moved him outside.

He could appear anytime he wanted, so she was thankful that he was trying to respect her choices even if he didn’t agree with them. 

After she had locked the door she went back to Steve's room and leaned against the doorframe. “ I am sorry, he just wanted to drop of some tea and say hello. And he tends to be very nosey. Don’t hold that against him please. He is good at heart.” she promised and pushed herself off to walk to his bedside.  
  
“ I didn’t know you had a brother.” he said, trying his best not to sound disappointed. “ I know… I do not like to talk about my family… I used to have… baby siblings. A girl and a boy, twins. They... died.” she explained and looked away, trying to bury that memory once more while Steve held her hand in a state of shock. “ I’m so sorry. I didn’t know…” - “ And I should have told you. Or.. I guess this is the time to tell you. There are… things about me that are difficult to share. But I like you.. And I want to.. Get to know you and I want you to get to know me. Maybe just not everything at once.” she smiled a sad smile and squeezed his hand. 

“ I want that too. You don’t have to tell me anything you don’t want to tell me.” he promised her. “ I can wait.” 


	9. Chapter 9

The “tea” Loki had brought was really a mixture for a potion. And boy did she need it. With potion at hand, she was able to continue his treatment. Despite his body being really insistent on being sick, after just 3 days he was right as rain again, well as right as he could ever be. There was nothing she could do about the pre existing issues. 

At least here, but she wasn’t sure she would be able to do anything at home either. At least not unless she got trained for it and that would take many years. MAybe more than Steve had. Eir would very possibly be able to heal him completely but that was not a world she wanted to introduce him to. Besides, Eir wouldn't be allowed to waste her time on a mortal who would die soon compared to them anyway.

But with the fever out of the way they could spend actual quality time together. They went on long walks and just… talked. About themselves and his God and the current state of Midgard. It was difficult for her to balance the things she could tell him. Her accounts were always true but she withheld the true names of the people and places involved. It would be hard to explain how she used to learn how to fight with Loki in the halls of Asgard.

She just wasn't sure how he would react to knowing that she grew up with, who his people would refer to as, ‘ the god of thunder.` either he wouldn't believe her or he would and maybe be scared of her. It just wasn't the right time to drop that knowledge on him, especially since they were still only courting. 

Holding hands and a kiss goodnight wasn't a commitment that needed all secrets exposed. But she knew she would have to tell him if they decided to get serious. 

Until then she would tell him about her friends with different names and less magic involved. 

“ Lucas likes to bend the truth a lot. And almost everyone falls for it. But he could never lie to me. He could never sneak anything past me and he always claims that the only reason we are close is that he had to make a choice: either team up with me or be my bitter enemy for life. Eventually his decision came down to the fact that he thought I was funny.” she told her story with a fond smile to the past. 

She missed the pranks they used to play. Everything had gotten so very serious lately that it seemed like it had been another life. It was one of the reasons she was hiding out on Midgard. 

“ Remind me never to introduce him to Bucky. If we're unlucky they hit it off and the world as we know it would end.” Steve joked and Evy could only agree. Loki might even like Bucky since Steve's friend also had a bit of mischief in him. 

Then Steve became a little quiet and Evy wondered what was going on. “ Are you alright? Did I say something wrong? “ -” Yes- er I mean no, I mean… I.. I'm alright. You did nothing wrong. I… Bucky said something the other night “

Evy tilted her head and waited for him to get out whatever was bothering him. There was a kind of fear that maybe Bucky didn't like her as much as she thought he did. Maybe he told him to look at all the signs of her deception. There was no way that he would interpret everything as her only keeping harmless truths to herself. Not even she would be able to do that. 

“ He… asked me what we were waiting for… that since there was a war it would be stupid to waste time. I.. I know you wanted us to go slow and I will respect that! “ honestly Steve probably couldn't disrespect a woman if he tried,” but I also see what he's talking about. I’ll never find anyone else like you. I don't even deserve you and if something happened... my only real regret would be to not have asked you if.. If you wanted to go steady.” he was red as a tomato and looked away, clearly trying to guard himself ‘when’ she would turn him down. 

For a second she had expected him to propose because of his seriousness, but since he had never been this close with a woman before, she could see that this was a huge deal to him. That this was something serious.

“ Steve…” the way she said it made it sound like a ‘no’ was going to follow, “ there's so much you don't know about me. I feel like it would be dishonest if I agreed to be your partner like this. “ -” I don't need to know everything. Just… Are you married? “ he asked softly and a little bit scared.” No. “-” Are you on the run from the law? “-” No. “-” Are you a spy for the Germans?” that made her laugh a bit.” No, but I probably would not tell you if I was or I would be a very terrible spy.” 

He looked at her more and a few words fell out of his mouth without his permission: “ Do you love me?” he wanted to take the question back immediately after but he couldn't. And before he could climb under something heavy to escape the horrible mess he had made, he heard her sweet voice answer after a short pause.

“Yes.”

He turned back to look at her and was speechless. Had she just said yes? “ Really?” he asked and she laughed happily and nodded. “ Yes Steve. I do love you.” she repeated. “ Me too! I. I mean I love you too!” he hadn't really been cool before but now he was the polar opposite of collected and calm. He had prepared for a lot of ‘ No's’ but not for so many ‘yes’. 

As a form of celebration she leaned towards him and he closed the distance to kiss her. He put his hand gently behind her head, entangled his fingers with her hair and smiled against her lips. “ Then I don't need to know anything else. If you'll have me.” - “ Alright Steve Rogers. Let's go steady.” she said and sealed it with another kiss.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the nsfw chapter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is nsfw

Steve was in heaven. Everything seemed so much lighter and easier lately. He was unable to wipe the stupid smile off his face and he found himself picking flowers to bring home to Evangelyne. Home. How lucky was he that they lived together already?!

She was the first person he saw every day, and once he had the money for a ring he knew he would propose. Joining the military hadn't left his mind but he wasn't as zealous about it as he had been before. If he could enlist he would do in a heartbeat but he wasn't as keen to leave Brooklyn as he had been before. 

Still, he knew he had to fight for the good in the world and for Evangelyne. But if that could wait for another week or two… He wouldn't be too mad. 

Last evening they had sat together, her lying in his arms, as they shared a book. It had been difficult to focus on the book but the time had been wonderfully spent anyway.

He hadn't cared about poppies before but now it was his favorite scent in the world. She made him feel healthy and strong. He never felt small next to her despite the fact that she was a head taller than him. It was never an issue. It was like she didn't even notice. 

When he arrived back home she had started to cook dinner, so he joined her and helped until it was done and they could eat. Then they sat down. On the couch and started up reading bit when the story suddenly lead to a love scene Steve blushed and was unsure of how to react… And did his best to hide his excitement.

Evy on the other hand embraced the scene and turned to Steve to kiss him, slowly and deeply. Her lips were so seductive and he pulled her closer, forgetting that she would feel his hard-on. His mother would be shocked about his vulgarity but her lips tasted so good and her skin was so soft under his touch… her wanted to touch her more, to remove her clothes but he knew that he couldn't do that.

Noone had told Evy though. One of her hands started at his knee and wandered closer to the bulge in his jeans and he wanted her so badly to arrive there. 

A quiet moan escaped him even before her hand reach its destination, which woke him up enough to remember that they weren't married yet and since his mother had raised him to be respectful and thoughtful towards women he couldn't give in to lust.

So he stopped the kiss and put his hand over hers to halt it. Of course she stopped her motion immediately and gave him a puzzled look “ Are you alright ? Did I hurt you?”-” What? No, no. I just…”-” You are not ready? Don't worry. I won't do anything you don't want me to do.” and with that she pulled his hand up to her lips and kissed it. Lovingly. 

“It’s.. Not that. It's… we're not…” he felt silly. He knew a lot of people had sex before marriage. It wasn't even that he was opposed to it but it still felt wrong somehow. “ ...married.” he brought out and looked away, expecting her to laugh.

To his surprise she didn't. Instead she guided his face back so he could look at her and gave him a tender kiss. “ If that is important to you I will respect that, of course. But as far as I know the right of marriage was partially invented to declare children to be the offspring of the husband. To make a contract about it. There are things we can explore without the fear of pregnancy. If you want to do that. I would never want to make you uncomfortable, but I would enjoy to spoil you just a little bit.”

She was of course right. There were things that wouldn't put her in danger of being pregnant out of wedlock. Though there was little danger in that since he would marry her on the spot if she was pregnant. And...he did want to touch her and to be touched. Right now there was little else he wanted.

Despite his initial anxiety about the topic his mind calmed a bit since he did feel safe with her. So accepted, loved… cherished. He felt 7 feet tall and he wanted to make her feel the same way. “ If we do… explore… Can you.. I have never… “- “ Of course I will. And, I need to be honest. Where I come from Virginity is not a medal of honour as it is here. It doesn't define you as clean or dirty not to have it. I am not a Virgin anymore. I hope that will not bother you…” 

It really didn't. Maybe under different circumstances it would, but he was never one to judge others like that. He saw her for the person she was and there was nothing wrong about her. “ No it doesn't bother me… Does.. Me being one bother you? “ she shook her head and kissed him again, this time more sensually. 

“ That could never bother me. Let me explore for a little while. Stop me if I go too far. We are both supposed to enjoy this, and since I'm your first I need you to be honest, and show me what you like. Good?” - He nodded and kissed her again. 

Now he started to get nervous again, unsure if he could do something wrong, but he trusted her deeply and tried to find ease in that while his heart was trying to burst through his chest. 

Evangelyne kissed his lips and then moved towards his neck, nibbling on the soft skin while her hand opened his shirt. Once that was done she pushed his undershirt all the way up and let her fingers trail down his body. 

It gave him the best kind of goosebumps as he closed his eyes and relaxed into the wonderful electricity he was feeling. 

When she slipped down in front of him and the sofa he opened his eyes for a moment and saw her looking up at him as she kissed his chest.

He blushed deeply, almost feeling overwhelmed. He had dreamed about things like that and now it was actually happening. She would make him lose his mind before this was over. 

She opened his belt and unzipped his pants. He was both anxious and enthralled, caught between the fear of being a disappointment and the need for her to continue. 

As she carefully felt for his erection he moaned involuntarily and covered his mouth with his hand. He was afraid the neighbours would hear them. Evy giggled slightly at that and moved her mouth back up, next to his ear and said in a truly naughty voice “ Don't be too quiet. I want to hear you enjoying this.”

She was entirely too much for him. He wouldn't last long, he was sure of that. But either way he needed her to continue. Now.

Her hands moved his boxer shorts down and revealed his erection. His heart had never beaten this fast. Would she be pleased? Would she be disappointed? What would she think?? 

But instead of saying anything she wrapped one hand around him and began to move it, slowly, up and down. Another moan escaped him and he could see the triumph in her eyes before she bent forward and wrapped her lips around his length and followed the movement of her hand. 

The image alone almost made him cum and the feeling was pushing him really close as well. 

Maybe he had died and this was some sort of heaven. 

Even with his hand over his mouth he felt like his moans could be heard all the way down the street but right now he couldn't care less.

This beautiful creature moved her head and tongue, sucked and licked and never stopped and he had to hold on for dear life. He moved his free hand to the back of her head, under her hair, inadvertently guiding her speed. 

This was amazing and he both, never wanted it to end and at the same time he needed to hit his climax ‘now’. 

And his climax was coming closer and closer and he guided her to go just a little faster, a little deeper and she replied eagerly. It was a mad rush of power until he was pushed over the edge. 

Initially he had wanted to warn her but his orgasam took him by surprise and the way she moved showed that she had prepared for that. 

Once he was done she let go of him and swallowed, before taking a sip from the now cold tea from the side table. 

His heart was racing, his legs were shaking and he was out of breath and all he wanted to do was hold her in his arms and never let go. 

“ That… was amazing…. ThThank you. “ he mumbled as she relaxed next to him and snuggled into his arms. 

He kissed her cheeks, her lips her forehead. His mind was usually occupied with his love for her but now everything was louder, brighter. He felt closer to her than before and it was a wonderful feeling.

Still breathless he whispered “ I want to do this for you… can you show me how?”


	11. Chapter 11

A few instructions later and he showed her how well he worked under a good teacher. Of course his technique could use some practice but he enjoyed hearing her moans, feeling her body tremble while he tasted her. 

He understood now why she had initiated this, and that it was a thrill to be on the giving end as well. As she became undone he lingered until she gently pushed him away and he climbed back onto the couch. 

They snuggled up in each others arms and enjoyed being with eachother. 

He played with her copper hair and smiled as she spoke. “ I hope you don't regret this.” Evy said and cupped his cheek with her hand. 

He leaned into the touch and kisses the palm of her hand. “ No. Not at all. But I'm not ready for more. “ he added. He knew she wouldn't judge him or pressure him. Until recently Bucky had been the only person he had really trusted. Now there was another person and his world seemed so much larger than before. 

“ Then we won't go by further. We don't even have to do this again if you want more time. Or not repeat it at all.” she said and kiss him. “ it would be a shame if course.” she added with a wink. 

“ No, I want to do that again.” he smiled.” But give me some time to recover. “ he added with a laugh. “ Alright. You get an hour.” Evy teased him with a wink. “ You ‘re a cruel woman! Will no one save me?” 

He looked around playfully if someone was going to rescue him, but no one was hiding in their flat to rescue him.

“ You know. When you ‘re ready I would love if we could sleep together. And I mean just sleeping. I’d love to wake up next to you.” her idea sounded wonderful, but he didn't trust himself yet. Not after what they had done and he didn't want to start something that he might regret later. They couldn't afford a child, and he couldn't join the war if she was pregnant. 

Well he could but not without marrying her first and even then he would feel conflicted about leaving her and maybe never seeing their child. Then again, enough other soldiers were in danger of that as well and he couldn't just stay here like a coward. No, it was better not to tempt fate. 

But after the war was won he'd ask her to marry him and they ‘d have a family. He knew they would. 

“ I'd love that too, but for now I'd rather take it slow.” he felt undeservingly lucky to be with her and he would enjoy every minute of it. 

After supper and some more reading, Steve went to bed and Evy went to her room, where she found Loki sitting on her bed, waiting. 

“ I thought we agreed that you would use the front door to visit me.” she scolded him before she gave him a hug. “ I would use it but then I would have to play a character for your human and couldn't stay as long as I wanted to.”- “ Bold of you to think I won't kick you out before you want to leave either way.” she teased him and sat down on the bed. 

“ What is new?” she asked him and he gave her a brief update about her friends and the remainder of her family, which wasn't too exciting. “... Everyone misses you… When will you come back?” she didn't deny that their friends might miss her but she doubted anyone missed her as much as Loki did. It must be hard for him to lose his main supporter and sister in arms. 

“ If I come back my mother will marry me off. Besides I am happy here. The work I do is rewarding. I have made friends and… I know you won't believe me but I love Steve. I know you miss me, and I miss you but if I return my mother will sell me to the highest bidder and you won't be able to even visit me. “ -” I won't let that happen.” he argued but his poker face was failing him. She couldn’t bring a human to Asgard, not even if they were married. There were clear rules about that. And Odin wouldn’t risk offending her mother Leandra by sheltering her unruly daughter.

“ You already tried.” she took his hand in hers.

“ Then… We get married or you could marry Fendral. You're good friends…. I'm sorry.. I know. “ he sighed and squeezed her hands. He didn’t offer to marry her in a romantic way. But it was better to be married to a good friend than to someone you hated and that would abuse you. And both could have as many lovers as they wanted on the side. It wasn’t such a bad plan, if he wasn’t the son of Odin and would probably need to marry in a political way.

“ Just come and visit me here. More often. I know it's not the same but I'm not vanished from your life… Maybe once the war is over I could marry Steve. Maybe we could move to Asgard… I don't know. I'm sorry my happiness comes at the price of yours. I know you need a friend. “ she pulled him into her arms and hugged him. 

“ Don't be sorry. It's not your fault.. I brought a communication stone and I’ll visit more often.” he said as he hugged her back and then gave her the stone.” I'm glad you're happy. He seems like a good man. Boring but good.” he teased and kissed her forehead. “ And I would admit that I said that even under torture so don’t try to quote me.” 

“ I’ll go and let you rest. Be happy for the both of us.” with that he vanished and went back home. Evy looked at the small stone in her hand that he had fashioned into a pendant. A good compromise as it seemed. 


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter starts to connect to the Movie First Avenger

About a month later Steve was trying to, once more, enlist in the army. And once more he failed based on his physical shortcomings. When he had told Bucky about his plans his friend had just shaken his head. He couldn’t understand him. Bucky had hoped, that having Evy would deter him from leaving. But the way he talked he seemed like he was more determined than ever. Steve was like a dog with a bone.

After his appointment he went and picked up Evy. She was having tea with a new friend she had made, Anne, and took her to the pictures. His mood wasn't the best when they arrived, but it was greatly improved by a kiss of his girl and a hug. 

“I can’t get over my bad luck when it comes to enlisting.” Steve sighed and showed her his papers. “ I am not sure this is bad luck, Love. Noone disputes that you have the heart of a warrior… well metaphorically speaking. And I can’t say I am sad about you not leaving to fight in a war that very well could take your life. But I am sorry that this pains you so.” She said and kissed his cheek.

“ Is.. there any way that you…? No forget it.” Steve started but thought better about it. “ That I what?” He sighed “ That you could change my medical file… But I can’t ask you to do that. It probably would work in the first place. And even if, if anyone ever found out about that you would go to prison. I can’t ask you to risk that.” He explained. “ You are right, I could, but I wouldn’t. I won’t stand in the way of your dream, but I won’t do anything illegal to bring you closer to your death.” She said with a sad look in her eyes. 

It was a hard subject. Of course she didn’t want him to go to the front and probably die within the first few minutes. On top of that, with his conditions, he would endanger everyone around him. But she also didn’t want him to feel unsupported, especially since it was one of the most important things to him. He had explained to her why he felt like he needed to go, and while she understood his words she didn’t fully understand the sentiment of it. All she knew was that something was clearly drawing him there. She just wasn’t sure what.

Either way, Steve bought their tickets and they went inside. As they sat down a newsreal about the war and about the soldiers giving their lives appeared on the screen as usual. Sometimes Evy wondered if that was the true reason they went there, so that he could see those newsreels even if they were done in poor quality. The low level quality of technology here was challenging but she tried to keep these things to herself as best as she could.

Sadly, not everyone was able to keep their thoughts to themselves, like a man some rows down, who decided to loudly protest the delay of the film. The people around them were clearly touched by the reel and there was no reason for that jerk to be this horrible. Of course Steve spoke up once he saw one of the women in another row flinch. It was one of the things she admired about him. That he wasn’t leaning back quietly when bad things happened around him. Most people would only protested when they were directly involved. He had a strong sense of justice and the guts to follow through. Sadly he didn’t have the necessary muscles to have these events end in his favour. 

Luckily, Evy was very good at healing wounds, and he never had anything more serious happen to him than that. Still, it was always a bit of a shock when he came home with another black eye or bloody nose. And she had the feeling that this encounter would end very similar.

The guy took Steve out back and they started a rather one sided fight. Steve was louder with his words than with his fists. He managed to grab the lid of a garbage can and used it as a shield. “ I can do this all day!” He exclaimed despite the fact that he was about to keel over.

  
“ No, you can't, because I am not going to spend all day at the movies.” Evy said ass he finally left her hiding place behind the backdoor to the movie. She had been afraid of maybe hurting his masculinity by intervening, but at this point she didn't care about the social rules they had. 

“ You must have something to compensate. First being rude inside and now this sad display. Say you’re sorry and we can all go back inside and enjoy the film.” She offered the stranger in an annoyed tone. She knew he wouldn't have the brains to take her seriously, but at least she would be able to say that she tried.

“ Aww, how cute, now your sister is coming to help you out.” he tried to provoke Steve but he was rather unfazed by that.   
Evy, however, did get provoked by that since she just couldn't stand other people assuming that Steve was not ‘man enough’ to be with her. “Look, you have 2 options: You either leave and I will forget about this, or I’ll make you cry.” it was obvious she meant it, at least to Steve, but the guy clearly underestimated her because she was wearing a dress. 

“ Don’t be like that sweety, come on, let’s get back inside and afterwards I can show you a good time.” he grinned and went over to her to put his arm around her.   
She waited until he had his arm in place before she made a few fast moves and had him kneeling before her a moment later, with his arm locked in place by her. And she was more than willing to demonstrate what even small movements of hers would do to him.   
  
“ Why do they always choose the second option?” she asked and bent his harm a little further, making him start to cry for mercy. “First, I want you to apologize to my boyfriend and then to me.” - “ I’m.. I’m sorry ok? I’m sorry!” he cried, solely motivated by wanting the pain to end. “ Good, and now you promise that you will mind your manners in the future.” - “ JUST LET GO OF ME BITCH!” he cried and caught a fist from Steve. “ That is no way to talk to a lady.”- “FINE I Promise! NOW LET GO!” she let him go but also pushed him forward towards the ground. “ This was your first and only warning. Next time I see you behaving like that, it will cost you a finger.” 

Then she stepped over the man and walked over to Steve. Her demeanor instantly changed from fighter to caretaker as if she was used to both roles equally“ Are you alright?” she asked and gently touched his cheek. “ I hope you are not angry at me for intervening.” she said and kissed his lips. “ Why would I be angry at you for standing up for me? It wasn’t out of pity, or am I wrong?” he smiled and took her hand to lead her back towards the cinema. “ There is nothing about you that needs pity. Except your punches. If you want to get in trouble, you better learn how to get out of it. I can teach you if you want. Where I come from, women learn to fight the same as man.” she explained as Bucky entered the alleyway, looking for them.

Dressed in a military uniform. 

“ Hey Bucky. Looks like you got your orders.” Steve said and tried his best not to seem too jealous. “ 107th. Ships to England first thing tomorrow.” - “ I should be going…” it was a gut punch that hurt more than what that jerk had done to him. But Bucky put on his trademark smile and tried to motivate Steve.  
“This is my last night.”

“So, what’s the first stop. Church?” Bucky grinned at the remark and shook his head. “Yeah...maybe second stop.”

“Then what else is your plan?” Evy chimed in as Bucky whipped out a newspaper and showed it to them. The ad he showed them said ‘WORLD EXHIBITION OF

TOMORROW’ and it looked and it looked exciting enough“ The future.” 


	13. Chapter 13

Before going to the event they stopped by Steve’s flat so that Evy could change. While Steve and Bucky waited downstairs for her, Bucky pulled out a small box and handed it to Steve.” I got this for you.” he said and when a confused Steve opened the box he found a ring with a small stone. “ I’m not sure if I’m ready to get married to you, but I hope we can still be friends?” Steve teased him. “ What is this?”

Bucky grinned and shook his head. “ It IS what you think it is. An engagement ring. But I’m not proposing to you, it’s so that you can propose to Evy.” - “ What? How did you get that? And why?” - “ Because I know you don’t have a lot of money and I saw one on the cheap. She makes you happy, you make her happy. You can’t tell me you haven’t thought about it.” - “ Of course I’ve thought about it, but I can’t take this from you…” - “ Yes you can.” Bucky insisted. 

“ You can pay me back in naming your first child after me.” he joked and put his hand on his shoulder. “ I mean it.” Steve hated charity, but he loved Evy and he knew he wouldn’t be able to get one. Even on the cheap. “Thanks Buck. Thanks.” he said and hugged his friend back. Then he quickly put it in his pocket as Evy came down so that they could go out. 

The three of them walked up to the circus that was called ‘World Exposition of tomorrow’ and they weren’t the only ones. Of course for Bucky and Steve all of this was spectacular, but for someone from Asgard it was… alright. It was a different kind of technology that they had here, but it wasn’t even close to what she was used to. Maybe it was the contrast of the two worlds that made it so endearing for her to watch it unfold. 

Bucky had gotten himself a date of course, and she was waiting for them, and waved at him when she saw him. Evy wondered why he had bothered. He wouldn’t take her home and he wouldn’t stay in touch with her when he shipped out. Maybe it was just about having a short dream for a night. She wasn’t going to do anything to ruin this evening, but sometimes she couldn’t quite understand how humans worked. 

“ Hey Bucky!” the girl smiled and gave Bucky a kiss on the cheek. “ Hey sweetheart.” he greeted her. “ This is lovely Lady here is Connie.” he introduced her. “And these are my friends Steve and his girlfriend Evangelyne.” Connie gave them a friendly ‘hello’ but paused for a second as she saw the unlikely couple. Evy knew that most people thought she was too pretty to be with Steve and wondered why she would humour him, since he clearly wasn't well off or had anything else to offer that she would want. 

“ Nice to meet you Connie.” Evy smiled at her and pulled Steve a little bit closer as if to mark him as hers. She wasn’t a possessive person but she had noticed by now that this was the way to act around others to show that she did like Steve. A little show of territorial aggression helped to move the topic along.

Either way, Connie was excited to be there and squealed as she pulled Bucky away and towards the stage where the show would start soon.    
“Why are they always giving us these looks. I loathe that look....” she sighed, swallow her anger and kissed Steves cheek. 

“ You should’ve seen the looks I got from the girls when Bucky organised double dates.” Steve reminisced but with a laugh on his lips. Now it was only memories, far away and without any meaning. He squeezed her hand before letting her go, signaling her to stay with Bucky for a moment so that he could buy some peanuts.

With the paper package in his hand he went back to Evy and followed Bucky and to the stage. He held up the package to offer Evy part of his snack and she accepted with a smile as Howard Stark walked onto the stage, a 1942 Cadillac behind him. His whole fake appearance made Evys skin crawl. She could tell he thought himself a gift to this world, which was why he had women dressed in short costumes dance around him on stage. The point that made her almost recoil was when he reached for one of the girls and kissed her as if she was just a prop. Disgusting

Then the show began:

“Ladies, you know how hard it can be putting on makeup in a car that’s bouncing like a kangaroo on a trampoline.”. He started to present and Evy just took Steves hand in hers, trying to ignore how uneasy Stark made her feel. 

The girls removed the wheels of the car behind him as he continued his monologue.

“What if I told you that in just a few short years, your automobile wouldn’t touch the ground at all?” Stark hit a button and the Cadilac began to rise, without the help of magic or wheels.    
  
The crowd around them gasped and both guys and Connie looked at it in awe. “ Ho-ly cow.” Bucky said thoroughly impressed and Stark continued. “With Stark Gravitic Reversion Technology -patent pending-, you’ll be able to do just tha-” something exploded and the car slammed to the stage. But Stark continued without missing a beat “ I did say a few years, didn’t I?” Everyone applauded. Well almost everyone.   
  
Then Steve looked around a little and saw something. “ I’ll be back in a jiffy.” he said to Evangelyne and walked away. Truthfully she figured he had to go to the toilet. Then Bucky turned around “ Hey, Steve. What do you say we treat these ladies- hey where did he go?”-” He said he would be right back....” then both of them saw the poster and the Recruitment center and they knew where he had vanished to. 


	14. Chapter 14

They found him right outside the building, staring at a mirror booth that had an image of some heroic soldiers and one had his face replaced with a mirror, so you could ‘Try it on for Size’. Steve barely reached the soldiers collar and it broke their hearts to see him like that. He wanted this so badly and neither of them could give it to him… nor would they if they could. Then Bucky went up and put his hand on his shoulder

“You’re kind of missing the point of a ‘double date.’ Come on, we’re gonna take the girls dancing.”- “ You can just go without me.” Steve offered, not wanting to make Evy stay with him here when she could have fun dancing - something she truly enjoyed.

Evy wouldn't leave but this was a talk between brothers, so she stayed quiet and casually looked around. That is when she noticed the man nearby with gray hair and glasses taking an interest but since he didn't appear to be a threat she let it go.

“You’re really gonna do this now?” Bucky asked him with a clear note of disappointment. “It’s a fair. I’m gonna try my luck.” Steve answered with his usual cheek. “As who? ‘Steve from Ohio’? They’ll catch you. Or worse, they’ll actually take you.” Bucky looked at Evy, hoping to get support from her to stop this but shook her head at Bucky. Steve gave his friend a grim smile of disappointment. “ You don’t think I can do it.”- “ This isn’t some back alley, Steve. It’s a war. Why are you so keen to fight? There’re lots of other important jobs-” -”You want me to sit in a factory? Collect scrap metal in my little red wagon while the men are laying down their lives? I can do as well as them and I got no right to do any less.”   
  
Bucky looked at Evy again. “ And you have nothing to say to this?”. Evy gave him a defeated look “ If he feels a calling I won't stay in his way…” As an answer, Bucky glared at her like she had just betrayed him, but then his attention went back to Steve when he started talking again. 

“That’s the thing you don’t get, Bucky. It’s not about me.” -” Right. ‘Cause you’ve got nothing to prove.” Bucky called him out and turned away as Connie tried to get his attention . He was angry at Steve but he didn’t know when he might come back, or if he would. So he wouldn't let a conversation that could very well be their last end in a fight.

Bucky turned around again. “ Don’t do anything stupid until I get back.” he said to tease his friend and lighten the mood “How can I? You’re taking all the stupid with you.” then they leaned in for a hug “ You’re a punk” - “ You’re a jerk.” Then he hugged Evy. “ You’ll keep an eye on him alright?” -” Probably even two.” she said with sass but also with a sad smile, “ You better come back in one piece.” He chuckled and kissed her cheek in a brotherly way. “ I’ll do my best.” He said and started to walk away.  
Steve took the chance and called“ Be careful. Don’t win the war till I get there!” after him and Bucky saluted before leaving with Connie.

Evy had already forgotten the man that had watched them as she turned to Steve and tried to figure out how to console him. There was no way that the army would take him tonight and it would just crush his spirit more. 

But before she could tackle that, she heard a girl cry out and when she turned she saw a young girl that had tripped and scraped her knee. 

Buckys, Steves and her own emotions were too strong to blend them out and with all the pain around her she needed to make at least one pain stop. 

With that plan in mind and forgetting that they were in public she walked over to the girl and kneeled down in front of her and tried to console her while her bigger sister was looking for their mother.   
  
“ Let me see. Oh, it’s not so bad look.” she put a kiss on her fingers and touched them to her knee. She lingered there for a moment and then took a handkerchief and wiped away the blood, leaving nothing behind but unbroken skin, just in time for the girls mother to turn up and give her a quick thanks for helping her daughter.

When Evy looked around Steve was smiling at her with pure love in his eyes. Feeling a smile spread across her own lips, she got up and walked over to Steve, wrapping her arms around him and kissing him. “ Eventually we need one or two of those.” he said and winked. “ But first I’ll try to enlist. Alright? I’m sorry, I know how much you like to go dancing… you could still go after Bucky if you want.” - “ No, I’m fine, I’ll stay here and wait for you.” she brushed some of his hair out of his face and made sure he looked sharp. “ Alright, off you go… and good luck.” 

  
  


Evy was standing outside, waiting when a soldier came up to her and asked her to come with him. She was more than bewildered. Had she done something? Had Steve done something? Had something happened? But the soldier wouldn’t answer her and instead lead her into the small room where Steve was getting dressed and looked about as freaked out as she was before the man that had watched them before entered with a file in his hand. 

“So, you want to go overseas, kill some Nazis?” the man asked Steve in a heavy german accent, and nodding at Evy as a greeting “Excuse me?”-” Doctor Abraham Erskine. I represent the Strategic Scientific Reserve.” he introduced himself to Steve and Evy who in turn introduced themselves while they were shaking his hand. 

  
“Where are you from?” Steve asked on account of the accent . “Queens. 73rd and Utopia Parkway. Before that, Germany. This troubles you?”- “ No.” It would have surprised her if Steve had cared about that. Seeing as he was dating her and just accepted that she was from ‘somewhere else’.

“And where are you from, Mr. Rogers? Is it New Haven, or Paramus, or Five exams. In five different cities…” 

Despite Erskine clearly having his number Steve tried to weasel his way out “That might not be the right file-” - but Erskine interrupted him half way “No, it’s not the exams I am interested in. It is the five tries. But you didn’t answer my question. You

want to kill Nazis?” Still unsure of what this was all about he answered the question with a question “Is this a test?” and to Evys surprise he got a straight answer. “ Yes” 

“I don’t want to kill anyone. I don't like bullies, Doctor. I don’t care where they’re from.” Erskine seemed to be happy with that answer and nodded. “Well there are already so many big men fighting this war. Maybe what we need now is a little guy, yeah?” he paused for a second. “ I can offer you a chance, only a chance.” - “ I’ll take it” - “ Good.” Erskine said and then looked at Evy. “ And you, one of the girls here says you are a nurse. We still need help with that. Would you like to accompany him?”   
  
That seemed very strange, had he seen her heal that child? She was suspicious of his kind demeanor but that just made it more important for her to stay close to Steve and look out for him in case that guy was up to something bad. Though he did emit the calm she only knew from good people that had seen a lot of pain in their lives.  
“ Of course. If that is possible?” - “ We can make it possible.”   
  
With that he opened the curtain and went over to the desk to get the stamp to put on Steves form. “ So where is the little guy from? Actually?”-” Brooklyn.” A few strokes of his pen and the stamp and he handed him his papers. ” Congratulations, soldier. And you Miss Nurse, I will see as well I hope.” with that he walked out and left a bewildered couple. 

Evy was half sure that Steve was going to marry the file in his hand, but he only looked at it as if it was the greatest treasure he had ever owned. She didn’t know how to feel about that. If he succeeded in training and got shipped out he was going to die. If not, his spirit would be crushed. Either way it wasn’t going to end well so she might as well support him towards the end he would want. 

“ Congratulations.” it was heartfelt, if worried. And there was nothing more to say about that. 


	15. Chapter 15

Now that his biggest wish had been granted, everything would change for them. And it would become a lot more dangerous. Of course, as it appeared, Evy would come with him, but that didn’t mean they were guaranteed to have time together. And even if, it wouldn’t be a lot. More than before, he wanted to take the next step with her. On the one hand it was a practical decision. If he was hurt she would have easier access to him as if they weren’t married and if he… died, she would get a pension. 

Still, more than anything he wanted it to be romantic. Something that they could always look back on and smile. Then he saw the ferris wheel and he knew what he would do.

“ How about we take a ride on the wheel?” he asked and she agreed. She had never been on one so it would be an interesting experience. 

When Steve went to buy the tickets, he paid a little extra so that they would stop at the top a little longer. It was a request they heard a lot so he wasn’t worried that it was going to go wrong. It meant his idea wasn’t very original, but since she never was on a ferris wheel before, he hoped she wouldn’t think of it as boring.

With some cotton candy in hand and the ring in his pocket, they got into their seats and got comfortable. 

“ I know you’d rather I stay. Or that we’d stay” he said in an apologetic way and she nodded. “ Yes. I would rather you stay here, be safe… Your body is not as strong as your mind. You are braver than you are healthy and it makes me worry. I don’t want to lose you... but I will support you regardless. And truthfully… if it were up to me I would not stop you. This is the way you have chosen for yourself and I will never stand in your way.” 

What more could he ask for? She was allowed to be worried. It was dangerous, he was worried, he didn’t like the idea that she might go to a place where she could get hurt. But that worry didn’t stop them from supporting each other. She believed in him. She had always believed in him, starting the day they had met. When he was with her he could almost forget that he was small, sickly and weak. He knew how he looked. For a second he wavered. What did he have to offer her? Did he waste her time? With a lot of effort he pushed those thoughts away. They loved each other and he would ask her to be his wife. If she said ‘no’ he could still bathe in self-pity. Or just jump out of his seat.

  
The cotton candy practically ate itself and he was getting more anxious the closer they came to the top. Evy felt him tensing up and looked over at him. “ Fear of heights?” she reached over and took his hand. “ Don’t worry, I’m here with you.” he had planned a speech in his head but when she did this… this simple gesture of kindness and unconditional support, his mind went blank and his mouth started to talk on it’s own.

“ Please marry me.”

“ What?” Evy wasn’t sure if she had heard him correctly or if he was making a joke that came out wrong because he wasn’t feeling well.   
“Evy, you are the most amazing person I’ve ever met. I love you. I love you more than I have ever loved anything in my life. We both know that if I make it through training… it’s going to be dangerous. I don’t want to die without being married to you… So, marry me. Please.” 

Evy had expected a lot of things. Being proposed to was not one of them. Especially since she was running from an engagement already. Another thing he didn’t know about her. She couldn’t marry him when he didn’t know her. “Steve… there is so much you don't know about me… “she looked sad, guilty. She loved him but she kept too much from him.

“ I know that you’re the most amazing woman I have ever met. You’re smart, independent, loving, … You see people's hearts before you see their skin. I know that when you sleep or you're really tired your ears turn pointy and that your touch heals people. I know that you’re not from here and are running from someone or something. I know all I need. Well almost. What I need to know is that, if- when the war is over, you want to be with me and have a family.” 

This wasn’t going to be as easy as Steve made it out to be. But… despite everything he had figured out a lot about her. Of course he couldn’t know that she wouldn't age with him. Eventually their differences had to get in the way, or?   
Then there was this image in her mind… Children. How lucky would she be if her children would be half Steve, with his brave heart, his creative mind, with everything he was. Things would get in their way, but at the end of all the pros and cons… she wanted a chance at that future.

“ Yes. Yes Steve. I want that. I want a family with you and I want to marry you.” She beamed and kissed him. He struggled a little to get the box with the ring in it out of his pocket, but he managed and took her hand. The ring was a fit when he put it on. It was small and the diament probably wasn’t real. Once the war was over he would get her a better ring. And everything else she wanted. 

For now all she wanted was a kiss.


	16. Chapter 16

Since Bucky was going to leave tomorrow and they weren’t far behind, they decided they would do it tonight. So off they went to the club where Bucky had taken his date to. Luckily he wasn’t drunk when they found him , which would have put a damper on everything. 

When they told him the news Bucky was over the moon and hugged them tight.   
Turned out he would stop by a church before he left after all.   
  
They did wake up the priest, but he knew Steve and Bucky for all their lives, so hearing everything that had happened, he agreed to wed them that night. After the war they were planning to have ‘real’ wedding. With a wedding dress and a suit.. Or rather a uniform, a few more friends, Buckys family... 

Not a crowd, but Steve wanted to have more than this for her. For now, however, this was perfect.

As Evy was freshening herself up, Loki appeared behind her in the bathroom, answering her call.   
“ What is so important, that I had to come here right away?” he asked and crossed his arms before his chest. She had probably interrupted him reading or plotting. 

Cleaning up her eyeliner in the mirror she smiled and said. “ I’m getting married. I thought you might want to attend.” 

Loki just rolled his eyes. “ Evy. Did I really have to come down here for a joke?” the elf turned around. “ It is not a joke. Steve asked me, I agreed and he gave me an engagement gift in the form of a ring.” she held up her hand. “ And now we are in a church and a priest will perform the appropriate rights humans use. It is as binding as a joining in the golden Halls of Asgard. Don’t give me that look. I know you don’t approve, but I’m happy and this makes me happy. And if it doesn’t make me happy I shall simply divorce him as is tradition.” she took his hands in hers.   
  
“ Please Loki. You know he isn’t the reason I have not returned. He is simply the reason I am happy while I’m here. Be happy for me.” He rolled his eyes again, but this time it was because he had let her talk him into this. “ Alright. I will attend. But I didn’t have time to get you a kitten, so you won’t get one. Now. You’ll get one when you least expect it.” he replied and changed his appearance to fit into the scenario. “ How will you explain my sudden appearance?” he asked and reached for his tie to adjust it. “ I don’t have to. Steve’s smarter than you think.” she winked at Loki and took a last look in the mirror. It wasn’t what she expected herself to look like on her wedding day. This was better.   
  
“ Are you sure you don’t want to change into something more… regal?” - “ No. I like the way I look.” she smiled at herself in the mirror. Everything was a little bit off. Her hair wasn’t perfect, her dress wasn’t right for a wedding, but she was happy and with the right people. That was worth more than any gown in the world.   
  
When they came out, Loki walked Evy down the aisle and gave her hand to Steve. He even gave him a bit of a glare. Truthfully, Loki didn’t think that a human as meek as Steve could hurt his friend, but he would have glared at every other person in Steve's position. For Evys sake, he decided to be courteous and give him a proper glare to show that he would avenge any kind of misery he put his friend through.

Loki had to give Steve something. He seemed to really love Evy and she was happy. There was no lie in that. If only they could be happy in Asgard.

The ceremony was nice. The only light came from candles and both Steve and Evy had the people that were closest to them by their sides. It was hard to be part of a ceremony that basically bound her to stay in Midgard for longer. 

Everywhere Evy went, she was like a source of pure light. At least she had found someone who saw that and appreciated it. Steve might bask in her shine but he wouldn’t forget to cherish her for it. That was more than he could say for the person her mother had picked out. Who would’ve taken that from her to use it for his own pleasure until she would become dull. 

After the ‘I do’s’ they kissed and laughed. Loki congratulated both, and gave Steve a proper warning about treating Evy good, before he returned to Asgard. He would be out of place wherever they went next and he wanted her to have a nice evening. 

Bucky took them out for one drink to celebrate, but afterwards the split up, and Evy and Steve returned home. What a whirlwind that day had been. She couldn’t even process it all. And it probably would take a few days for her to adjust but for now she was elated. 

When they arrived home, Steve had to stop her from entering on her own, and insisted on carrying her over the threshold, something that wasn’t part of her traditions. But she let him, and luckily he did it without breaking anything of himself or hers. Inside she got out of her coat and shoes and then felt a little bit shy. 

“ Do… you want… we don’t have to do anything if you’re not ready.” they might be married now but she would never pressure him. Neither to sleeping in the same bed nor having sex.

But with everything going his way today he felt bold and wrapped his arms around her. “ I’ve waited for a long time to get you into my bed.” he said with a smirk. “ And I really want to but..” he had to look away “ I don’t have any protection and.... If you got pregnant…”-” You know how I have pointy ears?” he nodded.” The short version is that I won’t get pregnant unless I want to. Sooooooo…” she winked at him and he raised both of his eyebrows in an ‘alright’ gesture and pulled her towards her room, since her bed was bigger than his.


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another nsfw chapter, because wedding night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the mess first upload

They stood in her room, a little bit nervous but mostly happy and elated. Gently, Steve started to kiss his bride and cupped her face. Lately it had become difficult to let her go at the end of each evening. Now he didn't have to and after the end of the war he would never have to sleep or wake without her again. 

  
Evy pushed his suspenders down his shoulders and when the kiss ended, she began to unbutton his shirt. He felt a little bit self-conscious again but when he looked in her eyes he saw no disappointment in them. No, there was love, hunger and a little bit of cheek. Once his shirt was on the floor he kissed her and pulled her into an embrace that also let him reach the zipper at the back of her dress. 

He pulled the zipper down and once the dress was loose enough he pushed the fabric of her shoulders and kissed the newly exposed pale skin.

In the past week they had enjoyed each others touch and Steve had been eager to learn how to please her. So his lips went back up to her neck and to her ear, softly nibbling on her earlobe. She took a deep breath and sighed happily as he did and with another pull on the dress it fell to the ground and left her standing in her underwear.

  
“I love you.” He whispered against her skin and she opened his trousers and let them join her dress in the ground. She answered his words in another language that he didn't understand, but for some reason he could still tell that she was returning his words. 

After another kiss she took his hand and lead him to the side of the bed. It was such a strange situation. Every time they had been intimate it had been on the couch, as it had seemed to ‘dangerous’ to be in a room with a bed that would have enough room for both of them to be comfortable. But now things were different.

She sat down on the bed and he sat down next to her, a little unsure how he should proceed. But when she pressed her lips against his once more he found his braveness and pushed her back onto the mattress, following her down without breaking the kiss. He could feel her hands on his skin and every touch gave him goosebumps.

Now he wanted her to get some as well. He touched his lips to hers, then to her cheek and to her neck. His lips wandered down her shoulder and down her arms until he kissed the palms of her hands. “I love you.” he whispered again and she cupped his face and pulled him back into a more passionate kiss. “I love you too.”

Evy sat up and unhooked her bra with one hand and Steve helped her remove it entirely. Then he pushed her back down and kissed his way from her collarbone to her breasts. His tongue played with one of her nipples before he gently nibbled on it and heard her breath in deeply. Her porcelain skin almost seemed to glow in the moonlight. He knew she wasn't human but now she appeared almost celestial to him. And right now she was melting away under his touch. 

Next he raised her hips when he removed the final piece of underwear and caught one of her legs to kiss the insight of her tight and trailed his way to her middle. He had learned to listen for her breathing, her moaning, to read the way her body moved and most importantly how to pace himself and no to rush her. 

His tongue traced around her clit and then licked over it to make her moan again and push her hips up. He loved watching her enjoy his touch continued this for a while but he wanted to be with her in a different way, so he stopped.

His hands were trembling when he went back up, leaving kisses on her skin. Then he leaned over her and couldn’t help but revel in her beauty. The copper hair, the white skin, her pale grey eyes and her blushed cheeks. He tried his best to commit this image to memory. He knew he would have to draw this. For the past few months she had been his muse and he wasn't complaining about it.

Evys chest rose and sunk quickly as her clever fingers found her way to his boxers and pushed them down. With the last fabric barrier removed he felt the nervousness coming back to him. He had learned what to do before, but this was new. Wonderful but also untested and he didn't want to hurt or bore her.

She didn't share this fear as she wrapped one hand around his length and moved it up and down to distract him from his fears and then lead him into position.

“Are you sure?” his question was more to himself than to her but when gave him permission through a hungry kiss he pushed his hips down and slowly entered her. He let out his breath in a moan and breathed back in. “Are you ok?” he touched his forehead to hers and she nodded again. “Yes, don’t worry... You won’t hurt me.” her hands stroke down his back and one settled on his ass, pinching him and made him laugh. It took some of the seriousness of the situation and gave him confidence.

He pressed his lips on hers and started moving. He tried to concentrate on her, to make sure she enjoyed it, to make sure he was doing it right. The way she met his trusts felt better than anything he could have imagined. Despite his bad health he managed to keep up a pace that felt good to the both of them, and his own surprise he could even tell when she was getting close.

He was very close as well but concentrated on her wanting her to come undone with him. With great determination, he held his pace doing until her whole body began to tremble and she moaned his name. That pushed him over the edge as well and he continued to move, riding out both of their orgasms until he collapsed on top of her. 

Both were breathing heavily, enjoying the afterglow and each others closeness. Her thumb was stroking up and down the small of his back. It took them a few minutes to regenerate but once they had caught their breaths the smiled and kissed each other.    
  
“ I hope I didn’t hurt you.” - “ Not even a little.” She promised. He rolled off her and reached for then blanket to cover them as he didn't want her to get cold. Evy pulled him close to her under the covers and yawned.

It was hard to believe. He was married, to the most wonderful person he had ever met. “Promise you will still be here in the morning.” He said, both as a tease and with a hint of truth in it, “Don’t worry. I’ll never leave you.” She said, also with a bit of a tease but also with a lot of truth.


	18. Chapter 18

The next day was their honeymoon. They stayed in bed and only got out to get food and water. Of course it wasn’t all about sex. They cuddled, and read, and talked. Steve got some of his supplies and started to draw. He felt as lucky as he had ever been and couldn’t believe she was his wife. That they were going to the front line and fight for this country together. And afterwards they’d have a family. 

“You know, where I’m from, it is not customary for a woman to take on her husband's last name. It feels a little bit weird to do so. But if you’re alright with it I would just add it to my name? I don’t have to mention that to others of course. That I only took your name instead of exchanging it.” It was a nice idea to Evy, she would have a part of him even after he died. Names were important, they had meaning, and she didn’t mind sharing his on top of hers.

“You don’t have to take it if you don’t want to.” he offered sincerely. He had been ridiculed his whole life, if anyone was going to complain about that, they could go to hell.“Or, I could do the same with yours. That sounds like an even better idea! Steve Hawke Rogers! I like the sound of that.” he smiled and kissed her again. Right now she could probably tattoo her name on his forehead and he would agree to it. “Then it is settled. We are Mr Steve and Misses Evangelyne Hawke Rogers.” Evy said and pulled him into a closer hug. 

Time seemed to fly, and towards the evening their orders came in. The next morning they would go to their very own bootcamp. Steve was excited, while Evy was just glad she would be there as well. She wasn’t sure what Dr.Erskine was thinking. What was his plan? He had seemed like a nice man but he must have an agenda when it came to Steve. When it came to war, these agendas scarcely worked in favour of the subject. 

The next morning, Steve put on his uniform and he did look smart in it. There was something about the uniforms they wore on Midgard. She on the other hand wouldn’t get her uniform until they arrived.

“It is a shame they don’t have women in our army. The guys could learn from you.” Yesterday Evy had started to teach him some hand to hand combat. He got into enough fights that it was worth something. The way men fought here traditional didn’t favour Steves lack of strength. The way she had learned to fight did help. And her sparring partner had mostly been Loki so she knew how to fight unfairly. Of course he would need more lessons since close combat dissolved quickly into them kissing at the moment. But they’d hopefully have time for that at the base.

“I would rather I’m not anyway. I like healing more than fighting. Believe me, the last war I was in-” she started to tell a story, before she realised that was something she wasn’t supposed to share. She just felt so comfortable with him.. She trusted him and she probably should have told him everything already. She also saw the realisation on his face. There hadn’t been any wars in recent memory she could have realistically been a part of at her apparent age. 

She bit her lower lip and looked away. “I’m sorry. I should have already told you everything… I just… when I’m with you I can just be Evy. Evangelyn Hawke Rogers from Brooklyn. My former life is… difficult.” It made her feel guilty but he just went to her and gave her a kiss. “Your past is the past. I love you with or without it.” - “How can you be so relaxed about that? Knowing that I’m keeping things from you?” He shrugged and brushed back her hair. “ You wouldn’t keep anything from me that is important to us now, would you?” he asked nonchalant. “ Of course not.” - “ See? That is how I’m relaxed about it.” 

“I really couldn’t love you more.” she kissed him and then got ready. She hadn’t even noticed that her language was slowly changing more to the way they talked here.

“Sooo you were in a war? Have any good advice for me?” he asked as he took his bag. “Stay away from people that point weapons at you. It always worked for me.” she answered in response to his cheek and tried to get her suitcase but he got it for her. “You know, I have perfectly good arms. I can carry my own suitcase.” - “I know you can, but I like doing things for you.” He grinned and went to the door. She got the keys and took her purse to leave their small sanctuary behind. She would miss their home. But the new start would be interesting, that much she was sure of. 


	19. Chapter 19

Their first day at the base was interesting. Dr Erskine made her head nurse, based on her work at the hospital and probably on what he had seen her do.Therefore she was in charge of dealing with the nurses and everything they would need. That didn’t take too long, since the former person in charge had done a good job so far. So most of her job after that was waiting for someone to get injured.   
Because of that she was able to watch the other things that went on at the base and when she saw Steve in his lineup he looked a little lost. But at least she would always be able to easily spot him. He was the guy one head shorter than anyone else there. 

Her new colleague, Betty, sat down next to her with a cigarette in her hand and grinned. “ Anyone you fancy?” she asked and Evy just held up her hand to show the ring she was wearing. “ Very much so.” she smiled and nodded towards the line. “ You’re married? To one of the new guys? Which one?” - “ Steve Rogers. 5th from the right.” Betty started counting and ended up with Steve, so she counted again as she might have understood her wrong. “ The… small one?” she didn’t want to offend her new friend but there was little else she could say about him from this far away.

“ Yes. I know, people always have an issue because he isn’t tall or muscular. And no, he isn’t rich either and I didn’t marry him because I pity him or for any other superficial reason.” she had had to answer those questions before, so she had shortened this part of the conversation by answering all the questions ahead of time.   
“ He is a wonderful man. Brave, loving, creative, intelligent. He might not be able to reach something on the upper shelf or open a jar with ease, but those are not the qualities that keep you happy.” 

Betty listened to her and while she would still never go for someone like Steve, she could see the appeal in having someone like that. Actually, she would like to be with someone like Steve. Just bigger. “ Sounds like he’s a true catch then.” - “ He is. And he makes me very happy. In every way. He is a very giving person.” Evy winked at Betty and she returned that gesture with a cheeky grin. “ Oh my. Well I guess when you cannot rely on looks you have to have some substance. You might actually be onto something.” Evy knew Betty didn’t mean anything by it, but she had always been annoyed by superficial thinking. 

Then they saw a woman, in a british army uniform walk up to the guys in the line and announced that she would supervise them. She portrait her authority clear and still one of the guys deemed her to be less than him based on her gender and challenged her. 

“What’s with the accent, Queen Victoria? I thought I was signing up for the U.S. Army!” he talked loud enough that the girls could hear him.   
“ What’s your name, soldier?” - “ Gilmore Hodge, your majesty”   
Peggy nodded. “ Step forward, Hodge” she ordered him, “ Right leg forward, arms like so…” Hodge complied and decided that this was the right moment to be even more disrespectful “ We gonna rassle? ‘Cause I got a few moves I know you’ll like.” 

Evy wasn’t sure if that was his version of flirting or if he was just an idiot but she could tell from Peggys stance that he would pay dearly for this. 

Unfazed Peggy looked him up and down and obviously found him wanting. “ Are you familiar with the art of Jiu Jitsu, wherein your opponent’s size and momentum are used against him?” - “ No”  
Suddenly she raised her fist and punched him square in the face. He fell back onto his ass and held his nose which was now bleeding slightly. Tears formed in his eyes. Evy wasn’t sure if he was crying because of the damage she had done to his nose or his pride but either way was fine with her. “Neither do I.” Peggy said casually and then continued her supervision.

Evy applauded and ‘wooed’ for a moment until Colonel Phillips glared at her and made her stop, but she still grinned.“ I guess we found the charmer of the group.” - “ Looks like it. “ Both women decided very fast that Peggy was going to become a close friend to them. “ I bet you a dollar that before the week is over one of us will have to punch him too.” Evy laughed and nodded. “ I’m sorry I can’t bet against that, I like keeping my money…. God they’ll tear into Steve, won’t they?” she asked with a sigh and Betty nodded but then grinned again. “ But if he’s as amazing as you say he is, I might have a few slip ups when one of the other guys needs first aid. Small revenges.” 

Something Evy learned very fast was the fact that the other Nurses were very nice to her on the account that she was already married. It removed her as a rival for them towards the soldiers. That made things a lot easier for her. Being the head nurse and therefore in charge put her in an awkward spot already. Having rivalries coming from jealousy wouldn’t have helped a bit.

When evening came around, the girls waited outside their bungaloo, for some interesting company and Evy was waiting for Steve to come by. It was hard not talking to him all day, and now that they had shared a bed it would be even harder to go to sleep without him.   
She was put up in the same house as the rest of the female medical staff and he was of course with his unit. So all she could do was try to schedule her free time around his free time so that they could at least spend that together. 

It wouldn't always work.

A few guys waited in front of their barracks and talked about how they would try to pick up the nurses. They were especially interested in the ‘pretty redhead’. Steve listened to them while he put his things away and then got up to leave the barracks and meet his wife. Which he still couldn’t believe was a term he was now in a position to use. 

“ I bet I can get the redhead to kiss me.” he wagered towards his fellow soldiers and got them laughing. Of course every one of them thought that they would score with her, so it was absolutely out of the question that Steve would be able to get with her. 

“ Alright, 50 Cents say you can’t.” Everyone, including Steve got in and so he walked up with the others towards the girls waiting. Evangelyn could tell that something was up, the way they walked over together with Steve, who had had a hard time all day, and waited to see what was going to happen. Once they were close enough Steve acted nervous and stepped forward. “ Miss, I know I’m being forward. But can I ask for a kiss, for luck?” he asked her and she could see the mischief in his eyes. Now this place almost felt like home. 

“ Cheeky.” she said as she got up and walked over to him. Then she cupped his face in her hands and kissed him while the guys around them stared in disbelieve. Almost in a trance they paid up afterwards, while Steve decided to take his ‘date’ on a walk. 

“ Making bets on me now?” she asked when they were far enough away from the others. “ Of course. And since we’re married you’re entitled to half of it.” he said and put a few coins in her hand as she laughed. “ How long do you think we can pretend we are strangers?” - “ They’re not too bright so… a few months?” she laughed again and then pulled him into the shadow between two buildings and gently pushed him against the wall of the house to kiss him. 

“ Finally, some alone time. I’m rooming with 3 other girls and if I tell them in advance we can have the room for ourselves for, a while.” she told him when he turned them around so that her back was against the wall. “ Really? Can we go now?” he joked and played with a strand of her hair. After a few minutes of them making out he caught her chin between his index finger and his thumb and looked at her lovingly. “ I’m the luckiest man alive.” Evy smiled. “ Honestly, I can probably sneak you in now. And I want to so badly. But you’ll have a full day tomorrow. You need your sleep…. Or we’ll just hurry?”- “ How about we hurry.”- “ Alright… just walk with determination.”

She lead him into the staff quarters and hung her nurse cap on the doorknob before starting to get Steve out of his clothes. It really was too early for them to be apart. So they hurried to get closer. He had her singing in no time but since he needed to get some sleep neither of them held back and so they were done a lot faster than they usually were. 

Breathing heavily, they held each other for a few moments and held onto their time together as much as they could. Then Steve got up and got dressed.   
“ Stay,” he said, “ I can sneak out on my own.” she nodded and watched him until he was done and with a goodnight kiss he opened the door, gently threw her cap to her before he vanished. 

A few moments later Betty came in and giggled. “ Wow. alright, at first I thought you were pulling my leg, but if that performance you just gave was real I might have to ask you to borrow him for a while.” she winked. “ Aw I’m sorry, we’re not that kind of couple. But yeah it’s all real…. And I miss him already.” she sighed and got melancholic.   
“ So… say, what is he doing here?” Evy smiled a sad smile. “ Fulfilling his dream.” - “ Being here is his dream? I know a few fellas who’s dream it was to stay at home.” 

“ I know. But you know, this is all part of him. He is brave and never gives up.” - “ But you’d wish he’d do. Sometimes ?” Evy shook her head. “ No. I’d prefer if his dream was less connected with an active war zone, but I’m proud of him. I believe in him.”-”Then he’s lucky he found you. Not many would believe in him like that.”

The following weeks were a true trial. Steve wasn’t very good at any of the physical things they had to accomplish, but he tried his best. And Evy tried her best to keep his spirits up. 

Since Steve had very little free time Evy had started to train her fellow nurses in fighting as well. It was a secret, but at least they’d be able to escape any soldier that would try to force them into any kind of situation they didn’t want to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Peggy part is a slightly changed version from the scene in the (original?) script that I found online


	20. Chapter 20

Peggy Carter finished her morning routine and checked her appearance again before she left. As a woman in the military, especially the american military, she had to look flawless and couldn’t afford to make mistakes. Therefore she also checked everything she needed again before she left.

So far so good. The past weeks had proven successful but the boys were still training. Today she would have the chance to talk to this Evangelyne Hawke who had been favoured by Dr. Erskine as an asset to the project. 

It seemed like every injury that had come to her had been healed remarkably fast. There was something about her that was different, and she had read that she was married to Steve Rogers shortly before coming here. It seemed strange that she hadn’t taken his name but her file also claimed she wasn’t from the United States so maybe it had something to do with that. 

She walked out and went towards the medical housing to pick her up. They would drive across the military compound and check a few areas, which would be a very effective way to kill two birds with one stone.    
  
“ Good morning!” she said when she reached the young woman. “ Good Morning to you, Agent Carter” - “ Peggy, please.” there was no need for formalities between them. Women had to work together to survive in these conditions. “ You’ve made quite a mark so far.” - “ Really? I’m just trying to do my job as best as I can.” She said truthfully. She wasn’t keen on standing out, but with her position as head nurse she had little choice. She could either stand out for doing her work very well, or very badly. There wasn’t really a middle ground.

Peggy lead her to the car and continued to talk to her. “ I’ve read you’re married to Steve Rogers.” She said and got into the car. “ Yes I am.” Peggy was fond of Steve. He stood out to her, not only because he was a head smaller than everyone else, but because he had manners that some others lacked.

“ An odd choice, some would say.” She continued but Evy just shrugged. “I get that a lot. But -” - “I’m not ‘some’. I can see why you’re with him.” That surprised Evy but she appreciated it and it endeared Peggy to her. If it was true or if she had just said so to make Evy more compliant was something she couldn’t say, but for now she wasn’t going to expect the worst from her. Then again, she was supervising Steves unit and he wouldn’t give her any cheek, so it probably was true that she liked him for that.

“ I can see why Erskine chose him.” Peggy continued as they started to drive. “ Really?” Evy was still unsure and highly suspicious why he had chosen him. Erskine had appeared to be all he seemed to be: Kind, honest, compassionate. But he could also just be a good actor. “ Yes. This program isn’t all about muscles to him, but strength of a different kind. I think he’ll do very well.” - “ Do I want him to do very well?” Evy asked and brushed back a few hairs that had gotten loose due to the car ride. “ That I can’t tell you. I think Rogers will be pleased though.” 

They continued to talk a little but they weren’t close yet. Neither of them went into greater detail about their lives. For now. 

Eventually they stopped at a flagpole and Peggy started to take some notes on a clipboard. To Evy it seemed like her interview had been successfully concluded . Or unsuccessfully, but Peggy didn’t seem annoyed. They shared a similar kind of humour and she was sure that if they’d be able to talk in a less official environment, they’d get along swimmingly. Hopefully they would get the chance.

After about a minute of waiting, a unit jogged up to the flagpole. It was Steve’s unit and as always he was a little behind. But he had fought and kept up with them. Except this was only the halfway mark and he looked like he didn’t have a lot left in him. 

Then their Sergeant challenged the boys to get the flag from the pole, offering a ride back to base with Agent Carter, for the one who brought the flag to him and all except for Steve jumped at the pole to try and climb up to the top. None of them was even close to successful. And they fought for it, with little to now support between them. 

This was probably the reason why ‘noone in 17 years’ had been able to get it. 

When they were called back into formation, Steve calmly walked up to the pole, took the bolt out at the botting, that was keeping it up and watched it fall down. 

Peggy and Evy gave each other a look and grinned. Screw talking about personal things, Peggy supported Steve, she was a friend. 

Steve picked the flag up from the ground andover handed it off, before getting into the car, next to Evy. She was trying her best not to laugh as she took his hand in hers and they drove off.


	21. Chapter 21

Another day passed. Another day where Evangelyne hardly got to see Steve. Without him by her side this place was uninspiring. She was close to Betty. And she grew closer to Peggy every time they met. Since both of them weren’t from the US they had an easier time bonding than they had with the others. They would compare notes on the things they found strange compared to their homes and so there was always something to say. 

And when she saw Peggy from a distance, clearly walking towards her, she knew this would be one of those “note comparing” evenings. 

Steve was still going to be busy for a long while, so she was glad that Peggy came over to her, a bottle of wine in one hand and 2 glasses in the other. Evy was sitting on the stairs of the barracks and smiled when she saw her friend. 

“Do we have anything to celebrate?” She asked as she took the two glasses from her and waited for her to open the bottle.

“No, but it feels like a night to get a bit drunk and talk,” Peggy answered and poured them both a glass. “Agreed.” Evy took a sip of the wine and was glad that it was sweet. She greatly preferred mead but you couldn’t really get it here. Sweet wine was a good alternative. 

“What's on your mind?” Evy asked her and took another sip. “A lot of things I’m not allowed to talk about. And you?” - “Pretty much the same. But there is something I want to talk about. You see… I came here partly because my mother wanted to marry me off to someone I don’t care for. I’m sort of hiding here in the US, hoping that maybe she forgets about me or something like that… but now... When I came here, on my first day, I ran into Steve and… he became one of my closest friends. Then Bucky and I had a friend from work. 

But now I feel ... disenfranchised. All of this, it’s not me. I’m here because Steve is here. I’m don’t usually follow people around. Not even with my childhood friend Lo-ucas. And yet, here I am, at a military base preparing for a war that isn’t mine…. And I’m feeling lost.” 

The redhead sighed again and took a deep sip from her glass and was topped off by Peggy. “ That sounds bad. But I’m not going to talk you into leaving us. I’d be bored and we would lose the person that is better than the physicians we have here.” 

Evy shook her head. “I’m not going to leave. I can’t take Steve with me. Even if he was willing to leave with me. There’s no place for him where I come from. Maybe I should’ve thought about that before we started things. Maybe I like him so much because he is so different.” She shrugged and drank more. 

“Steve Rogers is the husband you got to make your parents mad?” Peggy teased her and made her laugh. “I guess so… my father died, I’m not sure what he’d have made of him…” she took another sip and already felt it in her blood. “He’d love him for loving me. But… he’d have warned me because he will die before me…” - “He’s going to die before you??”

Evy realised her mistake but since Steve was as healthy as a recent plague victim, it wasn’t hard to come up with a reasonable excuse. “ Well, you’ve probably seen his file. He’s not very healthy and that won’t get better with age. I can’t see the future but… do you think it’s likely that we’ll grow really old, together?” 

Peggy shrugged. “If he’s selected by Erskine he might… there are risks though.” - “Everything here has risks. I’m lucky every day he survives here. And instead of spending this time with me he’s out there killing himself!” There was some anger in her. She wanted to support him so badly but if he died doing these things… she wanted more time with him not less. 

“He’s doing alright. He’s smart. I believe in him.” Peggy stated and sipped her own wine. She could understand Evys pain. None of them had it easy. 

Evy sighed once more. “ I believe in him too.. That’s part of the problem…”

They sat another half an hour and talked but eventually Peggy had to go to sleep and Evy remained sitting on the stairs. It would still be a bit of time until Steve came and she was drunk. Not ‘dance on the table’ blackout drunk, but drunk enough to feel it. And today she was a sad drunk who pitied herself for her sad sad fate. 

And there was only one person she had access to that could cure it.    
So in the middle of a military camp that was heavily guarded, she decided to call her friend Loki, hoping he could lift her spirits. And it was time to call him.


	22. Chapter 22

Luckily Loki hadn’t been drinking when she called him. Therefore he actually realised that it was a bad idea to be a civilian at a military base. Once he had figured out their surroundings he magicked his clothes into a uniform, that while not being completely correct, would work since it was nighttime and not very well illuminated

Bewildered, he sat down next to Evy who leaned leaned her head against his shoulder.

“ You’re drunk.” he noticed “ _You're_ drunk.” she countered. “ Alright. It’s **that** kind of drunk. What’s going on Hawke?” 

-

Their Sergeant had hurt his arm during the final hour of their training. Steve and his unit was therefore released from duty a bit earlier than expected. Glad for the extra time, Steve took a shower, put on new clothes and walked over to where he was supposed to meet Evy, when he saw her sitting next to another man and then leaning her head against his shoulder. 

Steve wasn’t a jealous person. Despite his insecurities and his thought that she could easily do better, he knew that she had chosen him. She loved him and wouldn’t just go behind his back. But it was a strange image since she hadn’t mentioned being friends with any of the soldiers here. 

When he looked at the soldier more closely, he realised who it was, but that just opened another can of worms. What was here brother doing here? In a uniform? He was sure he wasn’t stationed here. Evy would have told him so. What was he doing here? And in a uniform. And looking at it more closely he wasn’t sure if this was even a real uniform.

He trusted Evy, but this seemed too strange. Unsure if what he was about to do was right, he hid away in the shadows and did something he wasn’t very proud of: eavesdropping.

-

  
“ What’s going on is, that I’m lonely. And miserable. And lonely.” - “ Hm? Has your husband abandoned you already?” Loki asked and put an arm around her to comfort her. “ No. Of course not. Steve would never abandon me. We love each other. But they keep him busy. This place isn’t as much fun without him… it’s also not much fun with him here. I mean it’s always fun being with him, but this place is so ‘uuughhh’, you know? Even he can’t really improve it.” she explained and leaned more against him. 

Brotherly Loki kissed the top of her head and rubbed her upper arm. “ Do you want me to take you home?” he wasn’t sure if he’d take her. She was unhappy with this place but not unhappy with Steve and the moment she sobered up, she would regret leaving and wanting to come back. Which might not be possible anymore.

“ I… don’t know. Maybe. I don’t know...maybe….. “ she repeated as her drunken brain tried to run through some scenarios of what the difference between leaving and staying would be and if it would actually improve her situation. 

“ You know that if you come back, your mother wouldn’t allow you to leave again. And you can’t take your human with you.” he reminded her gently. He wasn’t known for his soft side. Except when it came to his mother and Evangelyne. The two people in his life that accepted when he was vulnerable, so he returned the favour when he could.    
  
“ Maybe I can? Hide him in my room…” 

“ I’m sure he’d love to be kept like a pet.” 

“... don’t talk about him that way.” 

“ You started suggesting hiding him in your room.” 

As an answer she just gave him a pouty glare, because he was right and she couldn’t say anything against it. “ I’m going to hide  _ you _ in my room.” she threatened him, but neither of them were really sure what that meant. It had sounded better when drunk her had suggested saying this in her head.

“ How long will you be here?” - “ I don’t know.. A few more weeks…? And I’m not sure what will happen afterwards. I guess we’ll ship out to this war their fighting.” Loki sighed when she mentioned war. Thor might be fond of fighting wars, but Loki and Evangelyne had never been very keen on it. It wouldn’t improve her situation or her mood to go to war. 

“ What?” she asked and sat up more. “ You can’t say that you ‘told me so’... cause this time you never did!” that almost made him laugh. “ No, I couldn’t have foreseen...  _ this _ . But I did warn you about being miserable here.” he brushed the hair out of her face. “ You have to choose. Are you losing yourself in his cause or are you fighting along with him? I’m not going to take you back home, only for you to sober up and throw things at me for taking you away from your husband.” he explained to her.    
  
Of course she understood that part. She didn’t want to leave Steve. It wasn’t an option for her. Not even for drunk her. “ Then what can you do?” - “ I can hug you, and tell you to find a purpose for yourself. You were never the kind of woman that would sit by the sidelines. You’re a fighter. Don’t sit around waiting for him.” 

The past few weeks she had assimilated herself so deeply into this society, that she just accepted most of the things women were supposed and weren’t supposed to do. Being caught between the wonderful happy feeling of being in love, and societies norms she had lost track of her own identity. Of course she was miserable. Sitting, waiting… it would drive anyone mad. She wasn’t sure what she would do, but she would do something. 

“ Should I tuck you in now? Read you a goodnight story?” Loki teased her after he saw the very slow realisation in her eyes and her fire coming back. “ No, thank you. Steve is supposed to come any moment.” - “ He’ll be thrilled to see you drunk.” - “  _ You’re drunk _ ..” was her comeback, that was still not true and not working.    
  
“ Of course. Take care, ok?” he said and kissed her forehead one more time before he vanished into thin air. 

-

Even after Steve was able to tell that this had nothing to do with the Germans, he couldn’t pull away. He knew he wasn’t supposed to hear these things, but after he had heard her pain and realised how selfish he had been about all of this. Maybe he should encourage her to go back home. He didn’t want her to be miserable, especially because of him.

But since she was waiting for him - again - he took a few steps back and then returned to the street and walked up to them.    
  
“ Heeeeeey!” she said with a drunken smile, and remained seated when he came to her. She pulled him towards her for a kiss and looked happy again. “ How was your day?” she asked as he sat down next to her. “ Exhausting, and yours?” he asked as usual and just hoped that she would feel like she could open up to him, and share her feelings with him. 

She took a few moments to try and come up with an answer. “ Underwhelming… I’m not happy…- I’m happy with you!” she started and hastily added those words so he didn’t think she had gone off him. “ I love you. But this place. It’s just…’uuuughh’.” she was too drunk to find better words. “ And I’m sorry for that. I just… I want more. Not just always sitting around and waiting…” 

He took her hand into his and kissed the back of it. “ I love you too. I’m sorry. I never… thought about how this would be for you.” he admitted. Both of them had been so happy when she was able to come with him, that the consequences of it hadn’t occurred to him.    
“ Maybe talk to Dr Erskine. Maybe he knows what to do?” he offered her as an idea and she nodded.    
  
She would have to think about what she wanted when she was sober. But for now she was just happy she could talk to Steve and spend some time with him. And he was glad that she could tell him these things and was sure they’d find a way. 


	23. Chapter 23

The next day, Evy went out to find Dr. Erskine and saw him walking with Colonel Phillips towards Steve’s unit. They were actually discussing her husband and Colonel Phillips was quite adamant about him not wanting to choose him for something. Dr Erskine, however, as set on to picking him, since he was looking for qualities beyond the physical. Colonel Phillips wanted a soldier named Hodge to be chosen, since he had passed every test, but Evy only knew him as an arrogant and rather annoying person. 

He had been a pain in the ass to the other nurses and he tended to be unkind to Steve so she was glad that Dr Erskine seemed to be in charge of choosing his favourite. Except the part where he wanted to experiment on Steve. She didn’t like that. 

Then, as a sort of demonstration, to show the merit of Hodges, Colonel Phillips threw a dummy grenade into the currently training unit and shouted “ GRENADE!” 

Everyone ran for cover. Except for one person. Steve Rogers jumped onto the grenade and shouted for everyone else to get away. On the one hand, Evy was very proud of him. He was the only one that was brave enough to fight for the others. Even though they had been mocking him all the way here. 

On the other hand, she was angry because he was ready to sacrifice himself for everyone which would leave her here with noone. Either way it proved Erskines, since Hodge had run for cover like everyone else, while Steve had shown his bravery. Colonel Phillips accepted his defeat but did add “ He’s still skinny.” which was more out of resignation than malice. 

With that out of the way she joined the two men.    
“ Colonel Phillips, Dr. Erskine. May I have a word with you?” she asked them politely and she could see that Colonel Phillips did not want to deal with her right now, but felt he had to, if it was important. Dr Erskine felt like hearing her out and was answering for the both of them.    
“ Of course Misses Rogers, what can we do for you?” she wasn’t necessarily happy to be reduced to being her husband's wife but she also knew Dr. Erskine didn’t mean it that way, so she didn’t hold it against him. 

“ I want to join the unit. Or at least partially. I know your unit is destined for a specific task that I won’t be able to participate in, but I would like to train with them.” she started and could see the cold sweat building on Colonel Phillips brow. He already had to deal with asthmatic Steve and now he might need to deal with a woman as well? But without missing a beat, she continued.

“ I’m of course open to being tested on my abilities. You have obstacle courses you let them run through. Let me participate, if I don’t manage to… let’s say, at least come in 3rd, I won’t bother you again.” she offered. 

Colonel Phillips wasn’t too happy with that suggestion, but since he had just lost against Dr Erskine, he didn’t have a good card to play for refusing her when the Doctor smiled and said. “ I don’t see why not. You have been training the nurses in self defense. You have gone through some training before, no? Maybe it will motivate the men.” he offered and with a defeated sigh Phillips agreed.    
“ Alright, but if you don’t make it, you won’t start to cry or something, okay?.” he said sternly, as if he was a father that tried to show some kind of authority after being overruled by the primary adult in the household.

“ Deal.” 

Dr. Erskine went with her to authorise her getting her own training uniform and everything she needed for the obstacle course. They talked in their way there and she was almost sure that he had figured out that she wasn’t from Midgard, but he was very subtle about it. He noticed things most people didn’t and it made him more dangerous in her eyes. Then again he didn’t come across as malicious either. If it wasn’t for the fact that he might hurt Steve as part of his plans she would have liked him outright. 

After she got her uniform she went to gets dressed, braided her hair and tucked it in, so that it wouldn’t be in the way and got ready for the course. The boys weren’t too keen when Peggy announced to them that Evy would join their obstacle course today, but they couldn’t really do anything against it either. 

The past months Evy hadn’t trained as much as she was used to. Usually she would train every or every other day. It was the way of life in Asgard. Especially when you were close to the heirs of the throne, and since all of them had vastly different fighting styles, they had learned to adapt quickly. They didn’t really do obstacle courses the way the military did here, but they had a lot of races across all kinds of terrain. It was something she would be able to apply here. 

When the race began, she started out in the middle. The few people in front of her all dealt with the obstacles and she could watch them, to mimic their techniques and avoid some of their mistakes, but it wasn’t too hard for her to go under, over or through things. It made a clear difference that she had trained for many, many years, when these boys had only been training for weeks. If you did something long enough, you found tactics that worked for you. 

During the final leg of the course she sprinted past the guys and actually finished first. Something no one but Peggy, Steve and her looked very happy about.    
With that out of the way, Evy had to do one final thing to make sure the guys wouldn’t give her a hard time. And she already knew how. 

-

After lunch, they all met together for more training an Evy had asked Peggy for permission to spar with some of the guys. To teach them a lesson. And Peggy was all too happy to let her humiliate the guys even more.    
  
“ Alright. I guess some of you aren’t happy that I’m allowed to join you for this. Because I’m a woman and supposed to be docile or something. So, any one of you who has a problem with me being here can try to get me out. A round of hand to hand combat. If I lose to any of you, I’m out.” she offered and some of the guys snickered. They didn’t believe she’d be able to win against them and also, hand to hand combat with a woman seemed to exclusively involve ‘touching boobies’ instead of fighting in their minds. Very mature, one could only be glad that these guys were seen as the best of their country...

6 guys of the unit volunteered to fight her, despite her being a girl and it not being ‘ok’ to hit a girl. If only the Germans would know about this rule, they’d just win every war by only taking women to the front. 

“ Good. Let’s make this more fair on you. 3 of you against me. I think that would be fair.” she decided and the guys laughed once more. She was a woman, so obviously she would already lose to one of them. But to 3? She was doomed. But they agreed. 

They cleared an area for them to fight and then Peggy called the start of the match. It took Evy less than 20 seconds to obliterate the three of them. They hadn’t seen it coming and tried their best to keep their dignity by pretending that they had tried to make it easy on her. But the next group of 3 announced they wouldn’t go easy on her. So it took her 5 seconds longer to destroy them. 

None of them WANTED to admit their very clear and earned defeat but they didn’t have a leg to stand on either. 

Steve, of course, was incredibly proud of her and had cheered for her all the way. He knew she was better than him at this. There was a small spark of envy, but mostly happiness. It wasn’t a bad thing to feel a pinch of envy as long as you didn’t let it rule you. He knew he was lucky to have someone by his side who was strong and fast. She was special, and now the unit around him would have to see that too.


	24. Chapter 24

There wasn’t much time left for them to train until the program would conclude, but it still changed Evys mood for the better.    
Partially, it was nice that the other guys started to see her as a real person instead of a ‘nurse’ or ‘Steve’s wife’, but the exercise reminded her of her home. Recently she had started to feel a little homesick. She hadn’t left Asgard because she disliked it, she had left because of her mother making it impossible for her to stay. But it was a beautiful place. 

Brooklyn had been full of life but the base was.. Just two colours. A dead green and grey. At least that is how she felt about it. Asgard had all the colours of the rainbow and more. This colourless place had pulled her down into a depression, but now she was taking back some of her joy. 

Of course it was also an added plus that she could spend more time with Steve. Granted, it wasn’t quality time and outside of their short breaks, there was little interaction between them. Still, just locking eyes now and then or a smile would help to give them a second wind. But all good and dull things had to end eventually.

And when the time came, the unit was dissolved and everyone but Steve and Evy were moved to other units. Since Steves barracks was empty until a new unit would come to be there Dr Erskine had organised that Evangelyne could sleep there as well - though he had been adamant that since Steve wasn’t allowed to eat or drink anything before the procedure the next day, it wouldn’t be a good idea to engage in any strenuous activity. 

Evy should be happy about that - well the part where she was allowed to sleep next to Steve again. But to her it had the feeling of it being ‘ a last kindness’. As if to preemptively clear other people's consciences since, at the very least, they had had a last night together. Like a last meal. Maybe she interpreted too much into this, but she couldn’t help being anxious. 

When she ended her last day as a nurse, she walked over to the barracks and saw that Dr. Erskine was inside, talking to Steve. She knocked at the open door to announce her presence.    
Steve turned around and smiled. “ Am I interrupting?” she asked but both assured her she wasn’t, so she moved inside and sat down next to Steve.    
  


“ Hey.” she smiled at him and gave him a quick kiss as a greeting before looking at Dr Erskine who was about to answer the question Steve had asked. He had wanted to know why he had been chosen for the project and Dr Erskine was willing to shed some light on that.

He explained that - as his accent showed - he was from Germany, Augsburg to be specific. After WWI his people had become weak and struggled, so when Hitler promised them an easier, better future they clung to it with both hands.    
Hitler had found him after he had become interested in his work and wanted him to support the Nazi party. He sent Johann Schmidt, a brilliant scientist but someone without a conscience.

“ Schmidt was a member of the inner circle, ambitious, obsessed with occult power, Teutonic myth and Norse mythology. Asgard and the likes. Hitler uses these fantasies to inspire his followers. But Schmidt… he does not believe in fantasy. For him, it is real.” he explained and Evy had to actively stop herself from telling them that Asgard was quite real. Aside from the fact that she didn’t feel like validating a mad scientists beliefs, it was probably better that people believed her home to be a story only. 

The German continued his tale. Schmidt had become convinced about a greater power, being left here by the gods and had eventually understood what Erskine’s formula could do. 

He used the serum on himself and it made him strong, but there were other aspects as well. The serum hadn’t been ready back then but it still enhances everything about him. Not only his physical strength but also what was inside of him. A good person would become better. A bad person… worse. 

That was the reason he had chosen Steve. He was a good person. He had seen the world from a point of view that made him want to stand up for others and not take good things for granted. And that was what they would need to win this war. 

That satisfied Steve as an answer and Dr. Erskine bid them good night and walked out. “I forgot something!” Evy said and quickly followed the German outside.    
“ Hm? You have another question Misses Rogers?” Dr Erskine asked her when she was outside and clearly catching up to him. “ Yes…” she said and was almost certain he already knew what she wanted to know. “ What are... The odds. This is dangerous…” she couldn’t bring herself to say the word ‘death’ and hoped her words would be enough.    
“ The serum is finished. I would not give it to Steve if I was not as certain as I can be.” Erskine said and she nodded “ Thanks. Goodnight.” she turned around and went back inside. 


	25. Chapter 25

Steve had picked up a book when she had left and was now putting it away when she came back in. “Hmm, pity you’re having this big procedure tomorrow.” she said with an underlying proposition and crawled onto the bed and into his arms. “ I’m having a big procedure tomorrow but you don’t.” he offered her but she shook her head.    
“ I’m good. That’s why I went after Erskine. I didn’t want to bother you with that, so I asked him to lend me a hand.” she teased Steve and he laughed and playfully pinched her butt as revenge.    
“ Want me to call him back? Maybe he’ll stay the night as well?” he grinned but Evy only laughed and then got on top of him and kissed him.    
  
When she sat back up she just looked at him, as if to make sure she would remember everything about him the way he was now if things went awry. A voice inside her head urged her to ask him to runwith her. She wanted to tell him that they could leave. That there might be other ways to get him healthy. But that would involve a lot of sneaking, a lot of crime and on top of that she knew he  _ wanted _ to be here. 

“ Are you scared?” he asked her and caught a lock of her hair that had come loose and played with it. “ Well. Yes. I’m always scared of losing you. I would be a bad wife if that thought would make me happy. But if you’re asking me if I’m worried about you, then no. They’ve thrown everything at you, including a grenade, and you’re still standing.” she brushed her hand up and down his arm and smiled. “ I believe in you. Always have, always will. “ And it was true. She believed that he would fight like hell. But she also knew that if they simply injected him with a poisonous substance, pure will wouldn’t be enough for him to stay alive.

“ I don’t deserve you.” he said, not in a self decrepitating way. He wasn’t pitying himself but was in awe of her. “ Not? Then you better do your best to impress me tomorrow and maybe that changes?” she teased him and leaned down to kiss him again. Steve laughed into the kiss and pulled her closer to him until she rolled to her side, so that both of them could comfortably hold each other.    
  
A thought came to her, reminding her that this could be the last chance for them to conceive a child together. That this could be the last possibility to preserve his goodness in some shape or form…

“ What’s on your mind?” he asked her when he saw her lost in her thoughts. “ I.. just that… if anything would go wrong tomorrow, if Dr Erskine would make a mistake… if you wanted a child, this was the time…” she didn’t know how to phrase it in a way that wouldn’t undo what she had said before, but she could only trust that he would understand what was in her heart. 

“ Hm.. I wouldn’t want that… I mean I want to have a child with you. Many. But not like this. No matter how it ends tomorrow you’d stay behind and would have to care for it on your own.” he brushed her hair out of her face and kissed her and then leaned his forehead against hers. “ After the war, we’ll have our family.” a promise he had given her a hundred times. She knew he believed it. But it wasn’t a promise that he would be able to hold if things out of his control happened. “ Yes, after the war.” But this was not the time to dampen his spirits. He needed hope, and support. And she would do everything in her power to give that to him. 

Neither of them could really find sleep that night, but since they were together they weren’t alone in their misery either. They talked and cuddled, and just relaxed in each others arms until the sun went up and it was time to get dressed. 

Peggy picked them up and drove them back into Brooklyn. Steve took this opportunity to mention all the places he had gotten beaten up at and Peggy asked him why he never tried to run away. He said that if you started to run, that it would never end and you had to stand up and push back. 

It was nice for Evy to see them bond over the topic of having to fight for their place in life. Peggy, as a women in the army, and Steve as a person who was easily overlooked and pushed around because of his stature. They had things in common and since Peggy was a good friend to her, she was glad that maybe she would also be a good friend to Steve. 

They stopped before a store saying ‘ Brooklyn Antiques’ which was offering just that in their storefront. Dusty Antiques.

Peggy led them inside and they followed, a little bewildered about what had to be a stop in their journey but clearly not their destination. 

Inside the shopkeeper said something about the weather to Peggy who answered in a way that didn’t make sense but was apparently the correct password.

They went deeper into the shop and a door, masked as a bookshelf, opened for them. Behind it was a corridor that led them to their future. 


	26. Chapter 26

The corridor ended into a round room that didn't go up but down from the door. In the middle of the room was a platform that looked like a mix between a barber’s chair and a coffin and the walls were lined with computers and consoles.  
  
It reminded Evy of a beehive, the way the scientist were bustling around the room but everything stopped for a moment when they noticed the new arrivals to the room. Everyone was staring at them, which was somewhat uncomfortable, until they got back to work.  
  
Dr. Erskine was down there as well and as they descended to the ground floor, he came to them to welcome them. Someone took a photograph of Steve but Erskine asked them to leave them alone for now and lead them to the middle of the room towards the strange barber’s coffin.  
  
This was it. Noone but Heimdall would be able to remove them from this place now. It made her feel trapped. And maybe this was built like that on purpose. To trap them in case things went wrong. But she couldn't think like that now. She would burn that bridge if they came to it.  
  
Dr Erskine asked Steve if he was ready, and he nodded. Evy wasn’t ready. Not even close to being ready. She wasn’t sure she ever wanted to be ready. But this wasn’t her call... Why wasn’t this her call?! Why couldn’t they just return to their home and be happy?... She closed her eyes for a second and tried to convince herself that this would give them more opportunities. Would give him a better and longer life, with her. As long as she could focus on that, she could be the support he needed for this.   
  
Steve was then instructed to take off his hat, shirt and shoes and as Evy was looking around to distract herself, she saw Colonel Phillips up in what seemed to be a gallery, talking to someone who was probably important. This was a spectacle. They surely wouldn’t have asked for an audience if this was going to end badly. Right?   
  
Then it was time for Steve to get into the barber’s coffin and Evy could see him shaking slightly. He put on a brave face but she knew that he was just as scared as she was, so she went to his side and took his hand into hers and kissed his knuckles. That made him smile, and she saw that it eased some of his anxiety.   
  
Erksine asked him if he was comfortable and Steve noted that the contraption was a little big, which made Erskine chuckle. Evy knew that eventually she would have to leave his side, but she would stand here, next to him as long as it was possible. “ Looks like you’ll just have to lie here and relax. Doesn’t sound too hard hm?” she teased him and kissed his hand again. She was nervous, this was something that calmed her too.   
  
Then another person entered the room, Howard freaking Stark. The man that Evy remembered as the “ Sexual harassment mustache” from the fair they went too. Since all she had seen from him so far had been inappropriate behaviour AND a failed presentation, this wasn’t instilling confidence in her. But he looked focused … and nervous. She wasn’t sure if that was a good combination as he went off to another console.   
  
Dr Erskine turned to Peggy and Evy. “ Agent Carter, Misses Rogers, don’t you think you would be more comfortable in the booth?” he asked them and pointed at the gallery. Peggy agreed and turned to leave but Evy just looked him dead in the eye and said “ Probably.” but didn’t move a muscle, blatantly disregarding his polite ask to leave. That also made the Dr. chuckle before he went to get a microphone to explain to all the onlookers what was going to happen.   
  
“ Ladies and gentlemen, this morning we do not take another step toward annihilation. Today, we take the first step on the path to peace. We will begin with a series of micro-injections to the subject’s major muscle groups.” It made Evy ground her teeth when he referred to Steve as ‘ the subject’. As if he was just something to be experimented on. Something that was easy to throw out if it didn’t work. It was probably true.   
  
“ The serum will cause immediate cellular change. In order to prevent uncontrolled growth, the subject will then be saturated with Vita Rays.” he continued and ended his speech while a nurse brought something over and injected it into Steve’s shoulder. “ That wasn’t so bad.” Steve noted but Dr Erskine had to inform him that this had just been a shot of penicillin.   
  
  
Something that looked like metallic arms without fingers were eased onto Steve's body on his chest and upper arms. And it was time for the count down.   
Evy leaned forward so that Steve could look her in the eye and hear her over the numbers being called. “ I love you.” she said and tried to smile. “I love you too.”  
  
The blue serum was injected via the plates and while she could see the pain on his face as she stepped back, she could also feel it. Not the way he did. She couldn’t feel needles penetrating her skin. It was a little like a headache from a change in weather, a dull pressure inside her head. Her people were very empathetic, so she had learned from an early age, to pull up mental walls and protect her against the feelings of others. But it was more difficult with Steve as she now realised.   
  
So difficult, that she knew this could only mean one thing and it made her feel very, very afraid.   
  
Her kind could bond with others. They could love and have sex with many partners their whole life long and be happy. But when they met someone, that they could truly love, that they could bond with… they sometimes did. As long as their partner was alive and well, and not kept from them by force, they were great teams. Feared in battles and envied when pursuing the arts together. But if one of that pair was to die, it would often break the surviving partner's heart. It wasn’t unheard of that the remaining partner would die of a broken heart, but even if not, they became cold, uncaring. Callous.   
  
And it seemed to her like she had bonded with Steve and that his death could very well mean her own.   
  
Time had run out. The coffin closed around Steve as it turned to stand upright. A huge tube was fixed to the back of the coffin and Dr Erskine went up to it to check if Steve was still ok and he returned his question with a witty one liner and Erskine gave the command to continue.   
  
He went over to stand next to Evy, and she turned him and whispered. “Just so you know Dr. Erskine, and with all due respect. If this goes badly, I will murder every last person in this room.” Evy said to him with a sweet smile but true murder in her eyes, and to her suprise he nodded as if he agreed with her possible solution.   
  
Stark turned some things and pushed others on his console and the coffin began to glow from the insight and they started to call out percentages of power that were being used to achieve that.  
Evy could feel the pain in Steve rising and around 70% he began to scream in pain and Evy had to hold onto the metal guard surrounding the platform not to fall down.  
  
Dr Erskine hurried to the coffin and called his name, Peggy rushed out of the booth and called for them to shut it down and Evy was already prepared to rip every one of them apart as soon as the pain in her head would subside. She couldn’t think or focus on anything but keeping herself on her feet.   
  
Dr Erskine shouted to Stark that he was to stop it but then Steve shouted from inside the thing that ‘ he could do it’ and that they should continue.   
  
It went up to 100%, sparks were flying off from different places in the room and everything around Evy went black.   
End of Part One 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this is the end of Part 1 of this story. 
> 
> I'm going to take a bit of a break from publishing, because I'm participating in NaNoWriMo, which means I should have A LOT of this written by the end of the month which I can then continue to publish in leasure later on.


	27. Unfinished, Untested, Used Anyway

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> we have arrived at part 2 everyone!

When the darkness around her lifted, she took a deep, loud breath and realised that she had collapsed onto the ground. She was half kneeling, half sitting and tried her best to focus her eyes since all she could make out right now were vague shapes. She had never felt anything like this before. Something had pulled at her, ripped at her, but from the inside out and she hadn’t been able to do anything against it. 

The worst of it was that she didn’t know what that was. Was the bond supposed to be like that? Or was this a side effect of her not being a full-blooded Light Elf? Or maybe because Steve was a human? She didn’t know. She hadn’t even known she would be able to bond with a human. And she had no one to ask, no one to explain this to her. Whatever this was, she would have to somehow face it on her own. 

When she looked up, she could make some sense of the shapes and knew that there was a person being helped out of the coffin, but it looked more like Thor than Steve? She opened and closed her eyes again, focused a bit more on her surroundings, and the memory of where she was - where they were, came back to her. The man in front of her was Steve. But he looked so different. 

She pulled herself up and gingerly walked over to Steve. Her ears were still ringing and the overall commotion around her didn’t help. Luckily people let her through as she walked the few steps that separated them and once she was close enough she wrapped her arms around him and hid her face against his neck. He was taller than her now. Maybe 2 inches. It wasn’t a lot but it gave her the strangest sensation. 

Her muscle memory told her that this wasn’t Steve. He was too tall, too strong. But her heart told her it was him. He smelled the same, sounded the same. And a 3rd power inside of her just pulled her towards him. She just knew, beyond a doubt, that this was the person she was supposed to be with. 

“ Are you alright?” she heard her own voice say and it sounded so weak. “ I am, and you?” he pulled away just enough to look at her and she could see he was worried.   
It wasn’t until now that she realised she had been crying. Her makeup had to be all over her face and if she looked like she felt, she had to look like a ghost. 

“ Yes, yes, I’m sorry. I’m alright.” she didn’t sound too convincing, but they didn’t have time to dwell on that as the gallery above them exploded.   
Steve naturally turned with her in his arms and shielded her with his body. Luckily the explosion was localised enough as not to reach them. But that wasn’t the end of it.   
They heard shots and when they looked to find the cause of it, someone that was dressed in a suit, who must have been in the gallery before, was running out the door with a full vial of the serum they had used on Steve. 

What was even worse, was that he had shot Dr. Erskine. He was still alive, lying on the floor with two bullet wounds in his chest and both Evy and Steve rushed to him. Evy put her hands on him and tried to call upon her power of healing but she couldn’t. It was still in her but she was drained, exhausted, empty. “ I’m so sorry” she sobbed over and over again but Dr Erskine gave her a smile as if to say ‘it’s alright’ then he turned to Steve and tapped his finger against his chest. Reminding him that what was important was the strength within in heart, not the one he now had through muscles. 

After that, things became blurry. Steve charged off after Peggy who had run after the stranger but Evy could only manage to get back up. One of the nurses helped her to a seat where she remained until Steve and Peggy returned. 

Steve had caught up to the guy but hadn’t gotten anything more out of him than a ‘ Hail Hydra’ and the explanation of how a hydra worked (if you cut off a head, 2 more would grow.) before he had committed suicide. And the last vial had been destroyed by accident as well. 

Evy had thought she had calmed down enough but as soon as Steve came up to her she started crying again and apologised over and over again for not being able to save Dr Erskine.   
Steve just wrapped his arms around her - why was he soaking wet? - and comforted her. “ Shhh, it’s alright. I saw you try.” he said while stroking her back and it helped. She was able to pull herself together and accept the situation as it was. At least for right now. 

Then she sat and waited until they were allowed to go. There was a lot to talk about because of the explosion and everything. Eventually, Peggy took them outside, where Evy saw that a car had exploded right in front of the Antiques store, and drove them to… something that was probably a sort of safehouse? Safeflat?

Whatever it was, Steve and Evy could close the door between them and the noisy world outside and try to come to terms with what had happened to them in the past few hours.


	28. Chapter 28

Both were suddenly in a place of total quiet and with both being exhausted, they went over to the couch and just sat down next to each other. All they had been given by Peggy, had been a change of clothes, and both needed it, but for now, it was nice to just sit and not be surrounded by the former pandemonium. 

Evy wondered if he could feel her as much as she could feel him now. But how would he be able to distinguish this from everything else that had changed. On top of that he might not be able to feel it at all. But for now she didn’t feel like getting into this. She still hadn’t come around to clearing up her background to him and now was not the time either. So she brought up something else that she was wondering about. 

“ Why were you wet when you came back?” he cocked his head at that question and smiled. “ That guy had some kind of... Submarine and I had to swim after him.” he explained. Except that just introduced at least 3 new questions she didn’t want to ask right now. 

“ I see… how do you feel?” it was something everyone else had asked him as well but her question was different. She didn’t care about the scientific aspect of it all. She just wanted to know how he was. How he felt after everything had gone down.

“ Bigger… confused… overwhelmed.” he listed and put an arm around her, to pull her closer. “ And you?” - “ About the same. Except I don’t feel bigger.” she said and managed to smile for the first time since he had gotten into the coffin. “ I’m sorry for everything.” he said and there was pain in his voice. She knew she still had to look awful. There was no denying that this had been an ordeal for her as well. 

“ It felt like you were dying. I… I was sure that I would lose you. I never want to feel this way again.” she confessed. She knew it would hurt him to hear that, but it was important to share these feelings with each other. “ I know. I’m sorry.” he repeated calmly and kissed her temple. 

Wanting to be closer to him, she climbed sidewise onto his lap and leaned against him. “ This is so strange.” she said as her head rested against his shoulder. “ If I wake up in the middle of the night, there is a good chance I might punch you because I forgot that you look like that now.” he laughed. “ Fair enough.” 

The mood between them became more relaxed and the tension in the room evaporated. “ I’m happy that you’re healthy now. It’ll probably give us more time together. But… I hope you know that I don’t care about the way you look?” 

Everyone had been staring at him, the nurses had given him more attention and flirting with him. She didn’t care about that, it didn’t make her jealous, but she didn’t want him to feel like he had to look like this to make her happy. “ I know.. Which is strange. But somehow I know yeah.” - “ I’d love you and want you just as much if you’d wake up tomorrow like you were before.” - “ That’d make everything very anticlimactic, but I know.” 

Evy attributed this to their bond. The blind trust you could have in your partner's unconditional love. “ Good.” she smiled and kissed his lips. “ I’m.. so sorry I couldn’t help Dr Erskine. I liked him. He was the only one seeing you the way I did… and he was kind.” Steve nodded. He mourned the scientist. The first person to speak out for him in this matter. 

“ Are your… powers alright?” Steve didn’t know how to address this. There had been an unspoken agreement between the two of them that they wouldn’t actually talk about her powers, but since they had failed her it seemed important to find out. 

“ Yes. I was just… drained. At the wrong moment in time.” if she had known about their bond beforehand she’d have been able to shield herself better from the impact of his pain. Or at least she hoped that was true. 

“ Was it… because of me? Or did something else happen?” Steve was way too observant. “ I… I was able to feel that you were in pain. And… that was part of what drained me.” she didn’t want him to feel guilty or responsible for this. Everything that had come after his transformation had been out of their control. 

“ I’m… I’m so sorry Evy. I.. if I’d known...I wouldn’t have asked them to continue.” - “ I know. I didn’t feel the same pain that you felt, don’t worry. I just… knew you were in pain. I can’t feel it when you just get a small cut. But this was intense. I can’t even begin to imagine how difficult this must have been.” Steve shrugged as an answer. “ It’s what I had to do.” - “ It wasn’t. You didn’t have to do any of that. And the first thing you did was to protect me and catch a bad guy. Now you’re capable of doing what your heart has always pushed you to do. And I’m glad about it.” 

His first contact with Hydra hadn’t been a complete success but he was a lot more capable than he had been before and that was something that had boosted his confidence.   
“ You know what? We should probably take a shower and then go to sleep.” Evy said and Steve agreed when she got up and went towards the bathroom. She stopped at the door and turned around. “ Aren’t you coming?”


	29. Chapter 29

Steve followed her into the bathtub, that doubled as a shower, and stood there awkwardly until she took the fresh bar of soap and lathered her hands with it. Then she began to spread it over his chest and leaned in to kiss him while her hands continued to wander and soap him up. 

The intimacy between them made it easier for Steve to relax and find their new rhythm. Just like in the past, his hands found their place at her waist, but then went to her back to push her closer and deepen the kiss. His body had changed, but hers hadn’t.

Feeling her skin against his, hearing her soft noises when he pulled her closer. The way she melted against him and reacted to every touch. The taste of her lips and the scent of poppies. Without even thinking, he lifted her up and put her back against the wall and in a show of clear enjoyment she wrapped her legs around him. 

They’d gone through hell today. Everything around them had changed. The only thing that still made sense was them. 

His hand stroke up and down her side while one of her hands held onto his shoulder and the other was in his hair. It was enough to make him forget that he had worries before they started.  
Then he broke their kiss and leaned his forehead against hers. With his eyes closed to concentrate on feeling her, he whispered: “ I love you.” - “ I love you too,” she answered and he heard the smile in her breathy voice. 

Some anxiety came back when he moved her a little, so he could get in position and carefully entered her. He watched her for any sign of discomfort or pain but all she did was moan and then bite her lip. “ You’re driving me mad, woman.“ he said and she laughed but her laughter ended in another moan when he began to move. 

He was still cautious until they found their rhythm. Her encouragement was very clear by the way she moved with him, the way her fingernails scratched along his back. And there was something else... as if he just knew she was alright. Either way, he had to concentrate not to get lost in her which was so tempting. 

He felt her lips, trailing along his jawline, down to his neck. There she stopped for a moment and bit him. The sensation went through him in the most pleasant of ways. 

He could tell she was getting close, so he increased his speed until she became undone in his arms and took him with her. Sex with her had been incredible before, but now there was something else, as if he could feel her pleasure on top of his. There were no words to describe it except that he had never felt as close to her as in that moment of pure and open vulnerability. 

Still breathing heavily he gently put her down but leaned with her against the wall to kiss her and touch her gently while she did the same to him. 

_

Evangelyne wondered if he had felt the same as she had, the connection that let the feelings spillover. But how would she even ask him about that?   
“ Steve… did you… feel something… new? More?” How was he supposed to know seeing as everything was ‘new’ or ‘more’ already?

“ Yes… why? Is it… because of you? Because of us? Or… the serum?” - “ I think, we are bound. More than by law or your church. I’m not sure… it’s something that only happens once. It means we are connected. It means that whenever one of us feels something intensely it might spill over to the other... “ she tried to explain, but she didn’t know the essence of it herself. 

“ That sounds amazing,” he said softly and kissed her again. “ For better or for worse.”  
She slightly shook her head with a smile. “How are you so wonderful? How does none of this bother you? You take it all in stride.” He just shrugged. “ There’s nothing that could bother me. You’re strong, smart and compassionate. Having a bond that brings me closer to you is a gift. And your pointy ears look adorable.” he added as a tease, but he really thought they suited her. 

They sealed that conversation with another kiss and then went back to getting clean. After that, they found their way into bed and quickly fell asleep in each other's arms.


	30. Chapter 30

Steve followed her into the bathtub, that doubled as a shower, and stood there awkwardly until she took the fresh bar of soap and lathered her hands with it. Then she began to spread it over his chest and leaned in to kiss him while her hands continued to wander and soap him up. 

The intimacy between them made it easier for Steve to relax and find their new rhythm. Just like in the past, his hands found their place at her waist, but then went to her back to push her closer and deepen the kiss. His body had changed, but hers hadn’t.

Feeling her skin against his, hearing her soft noises when he pulled her closer. The way she melted against him and reacted to every touch. The taste of her lips and the scent of poppies. Without even thinking, he lifted her up and put her back against the wall and in a show of clear enjoyment she wrapped her legs around him. 

They’d gone through hell today. Everything around them had changed. The only thing that still made sense was them. 

His hand stroke up and down her side while one of her hands held onto his shoulder and the other was in his hair. It was enough to make him forget that he had worries before they started.  
Then he broke their kiss and leaned his forehead against hers. With his eyes closed to concentrate on feeling her, he whispered: “ I love you.” - “ I love you too,” she answered and he heard the smile in her breathy voice. 

Some anxiety came back when he moved her a little, so he could get in position and carefully entered her. He watched her for any sign of discomfort or pain but all she did was moan and then bite her lip. “ You’re driving me mad, woman.“ he said and she laughed but her laughter ended in another moan when he began to move. 

He was still cautious until they found their rhythm. Her encouragement was very clear by the way she moved with him, the way her fingernails scratched along his back. And there was something else... as if he just knew she was alright. Either way he had to concentrate not to get lost in her which was so tempting. 

He felt her lips, trailing along his jawline, down to his neck. There she stopped for a moment and bit him. The sensation went through him in the most pleasant of ways. 

He could tell she was getting close, so he increased his speed until she became undone in his arms and took him with her. Sex with her had been incredible before, but now there was something else, as if he could feel her pleasure on top of his. There were no words to describe it except that he had never felt as close to her as in that moment of pure and open vulnerability. 

Still breathing heavily he gently put her down but leaned with her against the wall to kiss her and touch her gently while she did the same to him. 

_

Evangelyne wondered if he had felt the same as she had, the connection that let the feelings spillover. But how would she even ask him about that?   
“ Steve… did you… feel something… new? More?” How was he supposed to know seeing as everything was ‘new’ or ‘more’ already?

“ Yes… why? Is it… because of you? Because of us? Or… the serum?” - “ I think, we are bound. More than by law or your church. I’m not sure… it’s something that only happens once. It means we are connected. It means that whenever one of us feels something intensely it might spill over to the other... “ she tried to explain, but she didn’t know the essence of it herself. 

“ That sounds amazing,” he said softly and kissed her again. “ For better or for worse.”  
She slightly shook her head with a smile. “How are you so wonderful? How does none of this bother you? You take it all in stride.” He just shrugged. “ There’s nothing that could bother me. You’re strong, smart and compassionate. Having a bond that brings me closer to you is a gift. And your pointy ears look adorable.” he added as a tease, but he really thought they suited her. 

They sealed that conversation with another kiss and then went back to getting clean. After that they found their way into bed and quickly fell asleep in each other's arms.


	31. Chapter 31

The next morning they were picked up by Peggy for more tests. If it hadn’t been for her, they’d had poked Steve the day before, but this way they’d been able to get a little distance from the chaos from the day before. 

Evy wondered if they would ever be able to sleep in. To wake up next to each other because they had slept enough, not because America really needed them to get up. To just relax in bed for as long as they wanted, like the day after their wedding. But no. This was another day where they had been woken up. Where they had been ripped from their quiet respite to dance to someone else's tune. 

And so far there was no end in sight. At least not to Evy.   
Like every morning, she got up and made herself presentable. Back in Asgard this had never been an issue. Of course you cleaned yourself up and put a brush through your hair but being a woman in these times needed so much more. And while she was able to use glamour, it was draining if she had to do it all day, which was why her hair was usually styled in a way to hide her ears. But that also meant she had to do everything manually and it had to turn out good. 

-

Steves mood changed when they got to their destination. The SSR lost no time before turning him back into an experimental subject. They took a lot of his blood, which was an ordeal. Since the final vial of the serum had been destroyed and Dr. Erskine was dead, they could only hope to reproduce the serum via what they could find within Steves blood. 

Evy wondered if Dr. Erskine had never written anything down, but there was a chance that he had written it in some kind of code, so that the Nazis couldn’t get it. Either way, she didn’t feel like asking about it. And even if she did, Peggy was unlikely to know the answer, or share it if she would. All she had told them was that his work was gone.

Sitting there, waiting , looking around, both saw Dr. Erskines broken glasses on the table and it just pulled them back to the loss they were feeling. That they had lost a friend, a supporter and protector. He had been qualified and important enough to be trusted to make the correct decisions for this project and now that he was gone, it was unlikely that they would find someone of equal measure to do so. 

With that chipper thought in mind, Peggy lead them out of the room when they were done with Steve.

They joined Colonel Philipps, Howard Stark and a few suits in what was a kind of big garage where Stark was trying to figure out how the submarine boat worked that the spy last night had tried to escape with. Stark was explaining that this was beyond the technology that they currently had and when one of the suits asked who had that kind of technology one name was mentioned again: Hydra. 

Evangelyne had heard it the day before but she was just as clueless what a creature like that had to do with anything now than she was yesterday. Luckily Peggy knew and gave everyone a quick rundown when they joined the group. 

“ Hydra is the Nazi deep science division. It’s led by Dr. Erskine’s first test subject, Johann Schmidt.” That was a name Evy knew. Dr. Erskine had mentioned it to them… 2 days ago. Had it really only been that short a time? 

But the conversation went on. Hydra worshipped Schmidt as it seemed and was dangerous enough that the President had re-tasked the “SSR” to take the fight to Schmidt instead of waiting and reacting. A step Evy approved of, even if she didn’t like the idea of going there to react with them.

Luckily, or so, she didn’t have to. “ Pack your bags, Agent Carter. You, too, Stark. The three of us fly to London tonight.” Colonel Philipps said“ Sir? If you’re going after Schmidt, I want in.” Steve said but Colonel Phillips wasn’t having it.  
“ You’re an experiment. We’re sending you to Alamogordo.”   
“ As what, a lab rat? The serum worked!”   
“ I asked for an army. All I got is you. And you are not enough.” 

It was a credit to Peggy that she took half a step forward to stand between Evy and the Colonel because otherwise the usually rather peaceful elf would have ripped out this man's throat. The gall to tell Steve that he still wasn’t enough. Of course it wouldn’t have changed anything to fight him on this. Even less to injure him. Peggy was good at her job and at keeping people she liked alive. She mouthed “ I’m sorry.” to her and gave her an apologetic look and Evy closed her eyes for a second and nodded, showing that she understood very well what she was trying to tell her. 

The Colonel walked off and, what turned out to be a guy by the name of ‘Brandt’ who was a Senator, turned to Steve and said “ With all due respect to the Colonel, I think he may be missing the point. I’ve seen you in action Steve, more importantly, the country’s seen it.” He made a gesture at another man who was his aid who held up the newspaper from today. On it was a picture of Steve holding up the ripped of the door of a car in a shield-like manner. And it said “ NAZI SABOTEUR FOILED! MYSTERY MAN SAVED CIVILIANS!” 

Apparently now they had gotten from a very secret project to a very visible point. Evy was glad that Steve got some recognition but she wasn’t sure if she liked where this was going to go.

Brandt continued “ Enlistment lines have been around the block since this hit the newsstands. You don’t take a soldier, a symbol, like this and hide him in a lab. He needs to be out there, showing the world what the American fighting man is made of” he put his hand on Steve’s shoulder. “ Son, do you want to serve your country? On the most important battlefield in this war?” - “ Sir, that’s all I want.” Brandt smiled broadly and took Steves hand to shake it. Then congratulations. You just got promoted.”


	32. Chapter 32

They had about 2 days off, so that Senator Brandt could put things in motion and after that Steve had been prepped for his performance. 

Now they found themselves standing behind the curtain of a stage. Steve was in a blue costume with white stripes and a star on his chest and fighting the most dangerous thing yet: Stagefright.

Tim, Brandt’s aid, was buzzing around him and trying to relax him. “ Don’t worry. You sell a few bonds, bonds buy bullets, bullets kill Nazis. Bing bang boom, you’re an American hero.”   
It was incredibly hard for Evangelyne to be here. Partially because she didn’t want to be in the public eye, even by accident, but also because she was very sure that this was not what Steve was meant to do. 

“ It’s just not how I picture getting there.” was Steve's answer and Tim looked at Evy which was her cue to cheer Steve on. Tim had had a talk about this with her earlier. So with a smile that hopefully wasn’t as fake as it felt on her face she walked up to Steve and said “ Don’t worry. You’ll do grand.” Steve smiled back at her and Tim nodded as if to tell her she had done good, so she could walk back to her corner like a good dog. 

“ The Senator’s got a lot of pull on the Hill. Play ball with us and you’ll be leading your own platoon in no time.” Evy didn’t believe a word of it, but she couldn’t say that either in case she was wrong. As much as she wanted to antagonize Tim, she couldn’t risk it. Steve was now a commercial asset. If he was ever sent to the front, then to show off a few tricks and take more pictures. 

At least there was one thing that Tim and she could agree on: she wasn’t supposed to be in the picture. The American Hero ‘Captain American’ would sell better if he was single. If she had been American and if they had a cute child together, they could’ve promoted them as the perfect family, but luckily she wasn’t and they didn’t. 

So she was just part of the crew and not to appear in any way romantically connected to Steve when he was in his costume. 

Steve put on the mask that was part of the costume and jogged out onto the stage where about 16 girls in red white and blue dance outfits stood and started to sing once Steve was on stage. Even more girls came in from the side and Steve stood in front of them and read his text from the back of the prop shield that they had given him and informed the crowd of what they could do to help the war effort. 

After that was over there were photo-ops, and commercials and every day seemed like there was another show he had to do. To Evys surprise he started to thrive. For the first time he felt like he was doing something worthwhile and all she could do was say yes and smile. Even if she felt very different on the inside. 

What was she supposed to do? He wasn’t getting out of this. He was as much the property of the military as any other weapon they had and she should be thankful that he wasn’t at the front - something Tim had told her to cheer her up. And she was. In a way. Noone wanted their loved one in danger. 

It was also nice that they could sleep in the same bed, even if there was very little time between all his social engagements. She started to spend less and less time at the theaters when Steve was performing. Once again she was just following him around and as he became more comfortable with being on stage he didn’t need her cheering anymore. So what was the point of hearing the same thing every evening and seeing him fake punch a guy dressed as Hitler?

At least she got to see the US on their tour. Something she hadn’t been interested in. Well, she had wanted to see the world but touring with a production wasn’t a good way to get to know a place. 

It was another evening at another place - she wasn’t even sure what city they were in - and she decided to just take a walk and be back when Steve was done with his show. She knew it well enough and if nothing went awry he wouldn’t even notice her being missing. It would be bad luck if today Samuel - the actor who played Hitler - punched him instead of the other way around but she doubted that would happen. 

When she saw a park bench on the outskirts of a park she went there and sat down and buried her face in her hands, when she felt the bench shift as if someone was sitting down next to her she looked up she saw Loki. “ Good evenin’ Mam.” he said imitating a horrible American accent with a mischievous smirk. “ Guess they’re letting anyone into America now.” she replied and smiled. 

It was always good to see him. He had been here more and more since she had less and less to do and didn’t have anyone watching her. Back in the base it had been more difficult, but here? There was a good chance the tour bus would set off without her if Steve would let them.   
“ Your hero is having another show?” Loki was about as enthused about the situation as she was, or almost, he had started to look down on Steve a little. And it was hard to blame him. 

She nodded and he sighed “ Sometimes it feels like you’re married to my brother.” - “ I know it’s not meant as a compliment, but being married to your brother would at least make me the future queen of Asgard. And don’t worry, I would rule over you with a gentle hand.” she teased him and he pushed her playfully for that comment. 

“ What do you want to do tonight?” - “ I don’t know. There isn’t really anything to do, is there?” - “ Not that I’m away of..” they felt like back when they were children and weren’t allowed to do most things they wanted to do. “ We haven’t trained in a long time.” Loki suggested and at first Evy wanted to tell him how ridiculous that was, when she remembered that the theatre Steve was performing in had a practice room. The manager had told them that they could use it if they needed it, so why not use it. 

“ You know what? You’re right. Let’s go.”


End file.
